A great Drag Race ball has several requirements. The fashion must be fierce and creative, the unconventional material must be challenging, and at least a few of the queens must take some risks, resulting in striking looks, for better or worse. Throw in a fun mini-challenge, some crackling interpersonal drama, and a strong lip-sync, and you have one hell of an episode. “The Bag Ball” may not have the fireworks of the show’s best entries, but it delivers across the board with strong showings from the queens, compelling interpersonal dynamics, and the blend of whimsical silliness, thoughtful reflection, and unabashed fun that makes Drag Race sing.
“RuPaulmark Channel” delivered a decisive first elimination—Denali’s lip-sync still lives rent-free in this viewer’s brain—and emotions are high as the queens return to the workroom. Kandy reiterates her opinion that Elliott belonged in the bottom, rather than Denali or LaLa, and dubs Symone the queen to beat. Tired of Kandy passing judgment, Tamisha interrupts her. Not only does she not appreciate Kandy dismissing her and the others as potential threats, Kandy equating her opinion with the judges’ reads as arrogance to her, and she has no patience for it. The other queens stay out of the fray, but lines are drawn and neither Kandy nor Tamisha seem the type to back down easily.
The next day, RuPaul enters the workroom, sporting a black and white tux, and introduces the mini challenge. The queens will have 20 minutes to get into quick baby drag, then they’ll need to dance their diapered butts off in Baby Got Back. Mini challenges are always a delight on Drag Race, and this is no exception. The queens look ridiculous and fully embrace the silliness of the challenge, none more so than LaLa. She goes full diaper, pacifier, and bonnet, then pulls out decidedly age-inappropriate moves, twerking her way through her dance break. Ru commends the entire cast, but awards the win to LaLa, along with the prize, a $2500 gift card from FierceQueen.com.
The episode keeps the mini challenge short, however, because it’s time for the ball challenge. Ru announces the theme, The Bag Ball. First category is: Mixed Bag. The queens can serve whatever look they like, as long as it connects in some punny way to bags. Second category is: Money Bags. Executive, boss bitch realness. For the third category, the queens will need to create new, high-fashion looks, using materials made available to them in the workroom. Those materials? Bags. Shopping bags, sleeping bags, gift bags, bean bags, and more. They’ll have access to sewing machines—and glue guns—but only so much time, so they’ll have to get creative to serve up runway-ready looks.
The queens get to work, with varying levels of enthusiasm. After all the well-earned hype around Symone this season, the revelation that he doesn’t know how to sew is a shock. Who goes on Drag Race without at least knowing how to make a basic garment? Most of the queens are completely in their element, though. Tamisha and Utica make their looks and Rosé, Elliott, Tina, Olivia, and Gottmik are all comfortable sewing—Mik even went to fashion school. The verdict is out on Denali, but Kandy, LaLa, and Joey are the novices in the room, along with Symone.
After Kandy’s smack talk, Elliott enjoys the looks of concern coming from the non-sewing delegation, particularly Kandy. LaLa gets an assist from Utica with the sewing machine, but quickly runs into trouble and winds up breaking it. Kandy gravitates towards the book bags and goes for a first day of school look, something colorful, youthful, and flirty. He positions and styles the bags into a skirt, rather than deconstructing them. It’s a smart move and one that more of the non-sewers would be wise to emulate. Mik tries to talk Symone through his design woes, but while Symone may be insecure, LaLa is the queen who’s actually struggling. When the sewing machine dies, LaLa switches to hot gluing small paper bags together to make a kind of corset, only to realize that he doesn’t have enough bags to make a complete garment. Instead of pivoting to plan C, he offers up a prayer—“Lord, bitch…” an all-timer of a confessional moment—and decides to stick with his look.
Ru comes in to chat with the queens and as he so often does, he brings the topic around to their inner saboteurs. Kandy delightfully undercuts Ru, though, not following the conversation remotely, and the episode moves along. Utica and Mik look to be on track, but both LaLa and Joey seem less confident, with LaLa relying on selling his garments by delivering “the LaLa experience.” Ru heads out, but not before revealing that the queens will need to accessorize their second looks with a Coach clutch. After a quick throw to the Coach creative director for a plug of their new Coach Create service, and an obligatory Bob the Drag Queen reference, Ru gives “the RuPaul experience” on his way out the door.
The next day, the queens settle in to paint and the conversation quickly moves—with some prompting—to the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. Kandy and Symone talk about how important protesting is to them, with Symone sharing the trauma that comes with reliving violence like George Floyd’s murder over and over again. LaLa also shares how affected he was in particular by the killing of Rayshard Brooks, which happened only minutes from LaLa’s house. Tamisha, Tina, and Olivia discuss the need for visibility for the trans rights movement, the dangers faced by transgender people, and in particular the danger to Black transgender people. Yes, it can feel rote when Drag Race’s plaintive Important Topic scoring comes in and the mirror talk suddenly turns serious. But these are necessary discussions and conversations like these are an essential part of the show. Twerking babies and calls for racial justice sit comfortably side by side on Drag Race, and hopefully they always will.
On the runway, Ru has her first merely good look of the season, a bright pink ruffled cocktail dress with black accessories and a blonde wig. Michelle’s in animal print, Carson in a shiny blue suit, and the fantastic Nicole Byer is back again to guest judge, in purple sequins and absolutely adorable hair. It’s time for the Bag Ball!
Category one: Mixed Bag
Denali looks great in her airbag-inspired crash dummy look. Joey is less successful with her IV bag look. She’s a combination patient with an IV and slutty nurse and… Eve? It’s confusing and ultimately a miss. LaLa makes more of an impression as a bag of bones, in a black dress with a brown drawstring bag at the base and bleached bones scattered across her look. Elliott’s premise is simple—dollar store gift bag—but she nails the execution. Tamisha’s look is surprisingly restrained. Her concept, an old bag (referencing herself, 30 years down the line), is fun, but while her walk is great, she’s in a flat gray wig, a white pantsuit, and a red blouse with statement jewelry and a cane. Full points for performance, but the look is forgettable. Symone’s first look is much more drag, playing with “fun bags.” She’s in a glamorous pageant gown, but sporting absurdly large, balloon breasts. The proportions are spot on and she makes a meal of her walk, taking the look to the next level when she pops both balloons before leaving.
Olivia’s pink punching bag look is fun and would have landed much better had Symone not beaten her to it in “Condragulations.” A clear standout of the round is Mik, as a body bag. She opens up a clear plastic covering to show herself mid-autopsy, with intestines dangling down and swaying as she walks. It’s creative and very drag—her rib cage is stoned, naturally—and completely different from the rest of the looks. Rosé is next, embracing her Scottish roots as bagpipes. She looks great in a tartan dress with pipes sticking out and framing her body from one wrist to the next, up across her arms and shoulders. Tina has fun as a brown bag, stumbling down the runway swigging from a bottle and with an assortment of discarded beverages making up the base of her dress. Kandy puts on a show as a bag of tricks, in a white rabbit top and black pencil skirt. She pulls an extending staff and a magic wand out of her bag before flipping it into a sequined cape for her stroll back. It’s cute and effective. More chic, though, is Utica as a doggie bag. She goes full French poodle, keeping to black and white components and a fantastic poodle-puff wig. This is Utica’s preferred blend of camp and comedy with a stylish twist, and she nails it.
Category two: Money Bags
Denali again looks good as a Cruella de Vil-inspired fashion editor. In a lesser ball, this would stand out. Here, it’s solid. Joey ditches her category one wig and puts on a red blazer, black top and pants, and accessorizes with an eyepatch. She looks good, but again, it’s only okay. LaLa is much more fashionable in a multicolored animal print dress with a tight skirt, peplum, and flounce at the neck. She opts for a bald head with bold, dangling earrings, and she looks fabulous. Like Joey, Elliott goes with bright red, a 1980s power suit with platinum hair. In this group, it’s very safe. Tamisha’s look is again more understated, a white jacket and black pencil skirt with green accents, while Symone’s is over the top, a shiny pink suit with thigh cut-outs and a dramatic, oversized collar. She looks great.
Olivia’s look is lovely, but again more restrained, a blue suit with a beautifully lined cape that matches her tie. Mik demolishes her, and the rest of the competition, with a black and white Swarovski crystal pinstripe suit. It’s fashion, it moves, and it’s the clear winner of the category. Rosé unfortunately has to follow her, and in another black and white ensemble, a tribute to Bette Midler in Big Business. It’s cute, it’s fun, it just doesn’t have Mik’s wow factor. The black and white trend continues with Tina, who looks terrific in a stoned houndstooth ensemble. This is her best look, and another standout of the round. Kandy goes a different way with her look. She’s in a pink bra and panty with a pink blazer, money wig, and giant money stogie. Last is Utica, in another stylish ensemble, this one inspired by Chicago. She’s in black and gold, her blazer and mini skirt accentuating her long legs and the fringe at her waist and shoulders giving the look plenty of movement.
Category three: 100% Bag Drag
Denali looks terrific, a play on a Mexican sugar skull. It’s creative, fun, and well made. Joey’s look is not bad, a black and white dress with plenty of structure and volume. It has issues, but given her shaky sewing skills, it could be a lot worse. LaLa, on the other hand, is a disaster. She literally glued paper bags together into rectangles and glued those to a corset. She’s doing her best to sell it, and her face looks great, but it’s a contender for the worst look in Drag Race herstory. Next to LaLa, Elliott’s pink and white bra, wrap skirt, and coat is high fashion. It’s only okay, but it’s well made and certainly impressive given the time and material constraints. Tamisha’s look is clunkier, but alright. She has a good use of color, but the combination of her heavy shoulder piece and thick necklace put her look out of balance. Symone’s red and white bikini top and skirt combo is cute, but underwhelming.
Olivia’s also in a bra and high-waisted panty, though with shoulder pieces, but the material is reflective, alternating between stylish and garish depending on how the light hits it. Gottmik goes more minimalist, with a strappy black and silver ensemble. She’s serving rocker chic and while it’s only alright to this viewer, the judges love it. Rosé also wears silver, in a futuristic robot look with a spinning half-orb waist accessory over a silver bra and panty. She twirls down the runway and looks great. Tina stomps the runway next, confident in her red dress with yellow suspenders. She looks good, and is one of the few whose look doesn’t scream “unconventional materials challenge.” Kandy’s schoolgirl design is cute and creative. Next to the sewers’ looks it’s rough, but it’s not bad for a non-sewer. Utica is last, and this is her category. She looks fantastic, somehow crafting a distinct silhouette out of sleeping bags. Her colorful alien snow queen robe is beautiful and she sells the crap out of it. There are some other strong looks this category, but round three goes to Utica.
While it would be great to see the queens all get feedback, particularly given their hard work this episode, there just isn’t time for that. Ru quickly sends the safe queens off: Denali, Elliott, Symone, Olivia, Tina, and Kandy. That leaves Joey, LaLa, and Tamisha in the bottom and Mik, Rosé, and Utica in the top. The judges are rather kind with their feedback—they could have read some of these queens for filth, and in an earlier season, might have. They gently point out the weaknesses in some of their looks while acknowledging what does work and lauding the top three queens. It’s clear pretty quickly what will happen and after deliberations, Mik is declared the winner, just beating out Utica for the $5000 cash tip, and Joey and LaLa are in the bottom.
Season 13 continues its trend of strong lip-sync songs with Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy,” and Joey and LaLa get right to work. LaLa’s garment starts falling apart almost immediately, but she doesn’t let it faze her. Joey has some good ideas, like throwing out some bills at the chorus, but each time she makes a move, LaLa one-ups her, snatching those bills up off the ground and sticking them in her waistband. Joey plays with her long pony, LaLa puts her pink fuzzy bag back on her head as a wig. Joey goes to the ground, LaLa pops into a seamless split right behind her, timed to the music. Joey put up a fight—this was no Denali versus Kahmora situation—but LaLa is still the clear winner, and Ru tells her to shantay. Joey served some good looks this season and certainly won over a fair share of Drag Race fans, but given the judges’ limited patience for a key part of her aesthetic, her hair, it’s not surprising that she’s one of the first queens eliminated. As for the episode overall, if season 13 continues to deliver to this level on fashion, personality, and performance, viewers are in for a treat.
Stray observations
- I appreciated getting some more context on LaLa and Tamisha’s connection. Tamisha did put LaLa into drag for the first time, but LaLa waited several years before getting into drag more seriously on his own. So Tamisha is LaLa’s drag mom, technically, but LaLa’s not part of the House of Iman.
- Joey, when the judges read more meaning and levels into your look, go with it! Poison IV is much better than what you actually did.
- Aiden who? Congratulations to LaLa on the worst Drag Race look in recent memory, and for how completely she sold it down the runway and in the lip-sync. We’ll be talking about that bag look for years.
- Tamisha didn’t have the best looks for the ball, but I don’t care. It’s hard to overstate how much having a queen like Tamisha in the cast contributes to the season. His decades-long connection with drag, and this episode, ballroom culture, is a perfect gateway into conversations that previous seasons have mostly kept at a distance.
- Speaking of, I loved the mini ball Tamisha threw. It’s great to see direct shout-outs to legends like Willi Ninja and Leiomy Maldonado, and props to LaLa, Denali, and Joey for getting in on the fun.
84 Comments
This coming 24 hours after the DRUK sewing episode really paints an interesting contrast between the shows. I like the creativity that ”unlikely materials” engender (top 3 this week are some of the best constructed looks in recent memory), but sometimes giving the queens actual material to work with really lets em show off their chops. Still think Ellie Diamond shoulda won, though… Also, editing choice differences really are so radically clear at this point. Love how much DRUK has been harkening back to the earlier seasons’ style of exploring the process and individual meaning of the art rather than forcing storylines like the US has grown to do.
I thought Lawrence’s win was deserved but any other format and Ellie would have been in the top. She didn’t deserve to be standing next to Tia (although that runway narration was hilarious).
While I think that you are right to an extent that UK focuses more on the process than storylines, it certainly helps when they have fewer queens and only one look to show on the runway. Also, I’m pretty sure the UK episodes end up being longer than the US ones (if you ignore Untucked), given the amount of commercials there are here.
I’m loving DRUK this season. (I love DR too, but haven’t seen this weeks ep yet.)
Of the bottom three queens in DRUK this week, I’m happy with who got to stay.
Nobody knows how to watch this
Do you mean that it’s superior to S13, and that fact is maddening, or do you mean that it’s not being shown? Canadians (and possibly others) can get it through OUTtv.
I don’t know how to watch it in the US
You can also buy the episodes on iTunes.
It’s on WoW Presents Plus. They have a 7-day free trial, and then 3.99 a month. Definitely worth signing up for to binge UK when its over, UK is >>> US for me this season for sure.
You have to pay for WOW Presents Plus, it’s like 4 dollars a month.
And on last year’s Canadian Drag Race, when they had their unconventional materials challenge, I thought it was mostly a shit show.
Canadian Drag Race was a waste of time, money and resources. It was so bad. I’m living for this season of DRUK though. The creativity is off the hook.
The judging was a mess, but that’s a bit harsh. Half of the competitors were really great, and it undermines their hard work by simply dismissing the season. The mini- and main- challenges were also pretty good, and on par in concept with anything the US show has these days.
I may be in the minority here, but I thought that Tayce had the best fashion look on the runway.
DRUK (this acronym had me confused for a hot sec) is so so so good this season.
We’re all going to just ignore whatever baby fetish role play of a mini challenge that was, right? Also does Ru really expect us to think that Symone deserves that shoe-horned inner saboteur talk? Yeah she was nervous about sewing, but she had a win every week of the season so far! Anyways, make that two weeks in a row that a lip sync was won in the first few seconds. LaLa absolutely destroyed that (unlike that last look which was just, hilariously low effort), but to Joey’s credit they put up a fight.I was cautious of Utica being a forced, “kooky” queen but after the last couple weeks she seems very genuine and can clearly put together full looks. Liked Mik’s money look, but Utica should have won given the two looks they actually created.The NYC queens have been…there? Rose somehow is getting the perpetual bridesmaid storyline, but Olivia and Tina have faded to the background after the first ep.Love Tamisha and what she’s brought to this season, but her low placement was fair. I’m hoping that turns around because she’s (rightly) become a fan fave online. Plus that Untucked was the most heated we’ve had since maybe Season 2…and I loved every messy minute of it.Lastly, once again, please make Nicole a permanent judge!
Also does Ru really expect us to think that Symone deserves that shoe-horned inner saboteur talk?Ru: “Let’s suddenly and surprisingly talk about your inner saboteur, and pretend that I wasn’t listening through the two-way mirror in the confessional room!”Symone (being fed lines off stage by the producers): “wow, how perceptive! How could you know that I was just confessing this very thing!”Sometimes I think Drag Race is more schticky than a 1930s slapstick serial.I didn’t love Utica’s sleeping bag look…but she still should’ve won the challenge. Her first look reminded me of what Sharon Needles’ doggy ball look could have been.
Rosé is slowly gaining momentum lol, she is said to slay the second half of the season
She’s a lot more likeable now that she’s (largely) ditched the “I’m a shady competitor!” talking heads and shown off her actual talent. And, it should be noted, apparently found a hairbrush and some styling products in the werkroom.
I agree. Losing the premiere and top2 lip sync humbled her and I think it’ll help her in the end. I think its gonna come down to Symone and Rosé
I finally figured out my main issue with Tina. I HATEHATEHATE her makeup. Her eyes always look so heavy like she can barely see.
She paints for the stage, and not the screen. I think a lot of these comedy queens are used to using their makeup as an ongoing visual gag, and that approach doesn’t have a lot of flexibility or range if it’s not part of a specific act. Bianca had this problem on her season as well, although neither hers nor Tina’s bothered me as much as Trixie’s freakish paint on S7. Thankfully, Trixie’s finessed her looks since then, and maybe one of the instagram queens will give Tina some tips for the rest of the season. Unlikely, unless someone calls it out, but possible.
GIRL, talk about bookends!!
Admittedly it felt a little odd for auntie to say ‘I don’t like some of you hoes, but you’re fierce’ and then I reminded myself that with the shooting schedule the initial mini fight between Tamisha and Kandy was at most 2 days beforehand???
In any case, for someone that talks a LOT of mess under the guise of ‘keeping it real’ it was EXTREMELY ironic for Kandy to tell Elliott that she needs to be more self aware. I thought they were going to go for a ‘tamisha vs. lala lipsync’ but I’m wondering if the angle is Tamisha vs. Kandy now! lol
Also, no shade but Utica was COMPLETELY robbed! Even just by going on the last look Utica was heads and tails above everyone else.
Kandy could easily have been lipsycing against LaLa tonight, and it would have been deserved.
Admittedly it felt a little odd for auntie to say ‘I don’t like some of you hoes, but you’re fierce’ and then I reminded myself that with the shooting schedule the initial mini fight between Tamisha and Kandy was at most 2 days beforehand???
And they have to know that production plays into the choices. Because we can tell at home that some queens are “safe” because production thinks they’ll make good television. Because, even setting aside that backpack monstrosity, Kandy’s second look – one of the looks she brought with her to the competition – was sloppier than Joey and Tamisha’s third looks.
The garter belt was not even attached to the stockings. She came out in a weird papier-mâché wig, blazer, and lingerie that wasn’t even worn right. And she knew how sloppy it was because she immediately hopped on Twitter to defend the looks with, “I had a whole story about how this look was inspired by sex workers because sex work is real work and the producers cut it.” Like, a powerful doesn’t a good look make.
But I am dying to know: did the queens accessorize the bags themselves? I have to think that the answer is “no” given the limited sewing/styling talents on display by some of the queens tonight.
I imagine that whatever this Coach product is they were promoting is probably designed to be used by people with limited to no sewing ability. Either they are somehow easy to attach or like you design it online and they add the stuff for you.
And that begs the next question: did any of them get to keep the bags? I mean, they’re pretty ugly, and I can’t imagine that Gottmik would actually want one, but they’re still Coach. Give LaLa a bag for her lipsync!
LaLa should have been eliminated on the spot. There is no excuse for what she turned out, that was barely an outfit i am appalled. Great lip sync though.I would have given Utica the win, if only because it was so surprising. Untucked was amazing. The fighting, yes of course but also the bee attack outside 😂 poor Mik.Also, your pronoun usage is so confusing to me. I would sooner think that we would use constant she/her pronouns at all times whether they’re in or out of drag. The drag queen characters are always female while their real world counterparts can be more nuanced and differ. Plus we’re using their drag (female) names at all times so seeing “LaLa thinks he…” is so jarring. Just wondering what your thoughts are, not sure if youve explained before.
Untucked was amazingKandy (accusingly): “What you said was rude!”Tamisha (nodding with satisfaction): “It was.”ICONIC. Hee!
Didn’t Olivia and GotMik sort of express their feelings about pronouns earlier (female in drag, and male when out of drag)? It’s sort of confusing when we are only referring to them by their drag names both here and on the show, but I think it’s a good rule of thumb.Also, while I think LaLaRi’s third look was quite possibly the worst outfit I have ever seen on the show, she almost sold it and her first two looks were better than Joey’s. I might have agreed with you if that had been her ONLY look and if the lip sync was closer (even though Joey held her own), but in context with her first two looks, I don’t think LaLa was an instant elimination for her third look alone.
“LaLa should have been eliminated on the spot.”I may be one of the few that did not like her lip sync and would have given the win to Joey. Between removing her head piece and that crappy excuse for an outfit falling apart… That was just a messy man dancing around the stage. I thought Michelle didn’t like it when queens remove their wig.
I thought Lala’s lip sync was really fun. She’s lucky because we’ve seen Ru reprimand girls who lose their wigs and parts of their costume. Personally I hate when it happens, but at least she was entertaining. Poor Joey looked scared to death.
I brought up the pronoun thing earlier and fight it just as confusing as you do. Katie has yet to address it. I don’t think she reads the comments
She mentioned it in the first review under Stray Observations. Drag Race has contestants refer to each other by their drag names and personas regardless of whether they’re in or out of drag. In previous seasons, I’ve matched this, using she/her pronouns for everyone whether they’re in or out of drag. This season, I plan to use each queen’s preferred pronouns to the best of my knowledge, both their pronouns for their drag personas (when they’re in drag), and their pronouns for themselves (when they’re out of drag).
Yes. I read this and that’s exactly what I (we) are responding to. I don’t know why you assume we’re that stupid. Our point is this new way of doing it isn’t working. There have been multiple comments about this and Katie hasn’t responded
Settle down. I thought you missed it and I was trying to help.
This pronoun thing is really really jarring and unfair to queens who possibly might be identifying as non-binary and using they/them pronouns out of drag.Katie might be trying to escape a possible backlash in misidentifying gottmiks gender but really is doing a big fat disservice….and going against the explanation and wish Gottmik provided in the first episodes? Would be great if those recaps were done by a fan of drag culture and not just a viewer of the reality show.
And didn’t Gotmik address his pronouns in the second episode? Out of drag it’s “he” and in drag it’s “she.” Seems pretty straightforward…
Utica totally deserved the win.
Okay, I’m officially over Kandy Muse and all her overcompensation for her obvious insecurity.One thing I cant stand is a queen who talks ALL the shit, yet cant back it up with their drag.Girlfriend is over here trying hella hard to be ‘Vanjie 2.0′ but she’s coming off even worse than Silky Nutmeg Ganache was at her most obnoxious in S11.That said, I’m still loving me some Simone, Gottmik and Utica.Though she needs to step her game up I really adore LaLa Ri, and Im glad she didn’t go home, even though her “outfit” was possibly the worst look I’ve ever seen in the entire herstory of the show.Lastly, I’m more annoyed than ever by Ru’s posturing about ‘inner-saboteurs’ when she’s often an external one, intentionally.
Oh, she’s not that bad and, for all of her obnoxious mannerisms, she’s not wrong in a number of things she’s said. She also doesn’t have terrible taste, although translating that into successful looks is still something of a challenge. The struggle is real!Still, the ultimate irony of the episode: Kandy lecturing Eliott on self-awareness and reading a room. Girl…
Gurl… why were you in the grays?
Anyhoo…Oh, she’s not that badIMO?
Oh yes, she really is. It’s not about whether she’s “wrong” or not; it’s the way she carries herself and acts towards the other queens, which is often needlessly dismissive and inherently disrespectful.
It’s one thing to think to yourself (or to say in confessional:) “Damn, I gotta look out for this one queen; that bitch is my only real competition!”
and it’s “a whole ‘nother” to announce it aloud to the entire cast, when only ONE queen had been eliminated so far.
Tamisha may have had bad timing, but she was dead on the money about that being sheer arrogance, NOT confidence. And Kandy knew it too, that’s why she completely overreacted and tried to drag the other queens into the argument.
That brings up another irksome point; at least twice now Kandy has tried to spread that drama around when it was really only between her and Tamisha; that’s some weak ass shit-starter behavior, and I am not here for it.I say it season after season; it’s fine for a queen to talk trash, as long as she has the skills & talent to back it all up.But when she doesn’t? It’s just annoying conflama for the sake of getting camera time IMO, and that’s what I’m seeing now with Kandy; nothing she’s shown so far has merited that level of bitchery that she’s serving.
I thought exactly the same thing! Kandy thinks she’s Vanjie but is really just Silky all over again.And you’re also right about Kandy intentionally spreading the drama in every episode. In this episode alone, first she went around the room trying to add up votes that Tamisha should go home… ugh gross, she was like practically giddy with each Tamisha vote. Then she put everyone on the spot to say whether she was arrogant or not. That’s schoolyard “popular girl” shit that’s used to bully the “weaker” girls.Joey may be pretty daft (and she’s the first to admit it!), but when it was her turn she questioned Kandy with a knowing look, “what are you doing right now, girl?”. I’m glad someone said it. TBH I’m kinda disappointed in Symone and Olivia for letting Kandy get away with it.
I agree with EVERYTHING you typed!
nothing she’s shown so far has merited that level of bitchery that she’s serving.I have no problem with anyone serving bitchery on this show; the real problem is that she wants to be a bowdy-bowdy bitch but is just serving weak sauce. Diet weak sauce.Then again, if she hadn’t been a twit this episode we wouldn’t have got to see Tamisha light her up.
I have no problem with anyone serving bitchery on this showNeither do I, IF the bitch is also serving on the runway, which Miss Kandy simply is not. we wouldn’t have got to see Tamisha light her up.Real talk. I was conversing with my 16 year old who also watches stans Drag Race with me, and she brought up a good point; Kandy made an off handed passive-aggressive threat about ‘needing to get out before she hit someone’ or something to that effect, which of course only made Miss Tamisha even more defensive. That’s what makes Kandy even worse than Silky; who may have been ‘team too much,’ but she still never resorted to fucking threats, empty as that one was. Joey may be pretty daft […] but when it was her turn, she questioned Kandy with a knowing look, “what are you doing right now, girl?”I was living for that moment of unflinching honesty in the face of a would-be bully, especially coming from someone Kandy actively likes.
Agreed on all points. That moneybags look was a catastrophe and its hideousness should have been underlined for the audience in the final TV edit. I’ve also had a problem with her makeup in most of the other challenges, such as her Original Train mess, and that too needs to be addressed. Still, I didn’t hate her first of the three ball looks, and the last one, with a lot of editing, could have really worked. I was never a Silky hater — although I didn’t particularly enjoy her, either — and it’d be a stretch to call her an antagonist; she was just loud and pushy. For me, the Eureka/Vixen dynamic was the most uncomfortable relationship that’s been featured on this show because it showcased two talented queens being obnoxious; because it diverted attention away from some of the Vixen’s most important talking points and minimized her value on the show; and because Eureka got away with a lot of shit that was not okay.
it’d be a stretch to call her an antagonistI wouldn’t call her ‘the antagonist’ of her season; I’d call her a loud annoyance who often sucked all the air out of the room. But much like Kandy, it was to make up for her lack of range in talent which other queens had in spades. Silky’s issue was that she’s very much a queen who is all one note, and while funny at first, it gets real tired, real fast.
With Kandy, I don’t even see that same level of charisma, and that’s highly problematic when coupled with her apparent lack of skills. For me, the Eureka/Vixen dynamic was the most uncomfortable relationship that’s been featured on this show because it showcased two talented queens being obnoxious
I completely agree with you, there.
Preach.
I started liking Kandy last week but this week I couldn’t stand her. Way too confident and her outfits are basic. A bra and panty under a blazer? Yawn. And that backpack look was amateur. All she seems to care about is how much of her body she can show. She does nothing new with drag and the stuff she does do she doesn’t do well enough to be so cocky.
What are you talking about? She’s the purest most out and out villain the show has seen in YEARS. She’s acting so ridiculous at first I wonder if she was leaning into it to make an impression/create a character but when she literally said “I just tell it like it is” I realized wow she really is that non-self-aware. How does reality TV keep finding these ridiculous delusional people?
Whether she’s correct in some of her aesthetic judgements is immaterial. All she does is insult people and create conflict, and then whine when there’s the slightest pushback or even if people stand up for themselves at all. She’s Trump-like
You’ve got to have a heel if you want your heroes to shine brighter. I’m not sure Tamisha would have been given the airtime to articulate her excellent points if Kandy hadn’t pushed the situation. Without that tension, Tamisha might have been, well , Kandy Ho’d out the season by this point. More Tamisha! Untucked was awesome. I’m not disagreeing with you and am certainly not defending Kandy’s asshattery. Still, though, the behaviour seems to come from a place of delusion rather than malice, and is amplified by her goddamned volume, which makes her comments seem worse than they are. Coming for Tamisha is not okay, and she got what she deserved. Still: I noted that brief nonpology (the best we can expect from Kandy) to Elliott (who I’m liking more and more as Kandy becomes less and less sympathetic); the fact that half the queens didn’t think she was arrogant (or didn’t want to say that she was arrogant); and the fact that her noise obscures some valid points. She may or not be a true villain, but she’s sure being edited like one.
Not a big deal but I really don’t get where you’re coming from with these comments because you’ve contradicted yourselves several times. At first Kandy’s “not so bad” then you seem to admit that she’s a villain but say that this is needed and it’s entertaining (a point of view I can get on board with) but then immediately switch again to saying she’s not really that much of a villain it’s mostly the edit.The fact that half of the queens didn’t want to say that she was arrogant in front of the whole group means nothing other than the fact that the other queens didn’t want to get drawn into the drama and the Kandy’s a bully who has all of them scared except for TamishaIf you found this Untucked to be anything but excruciating you’re looking for different things for this show than I am. “No shade” (as they say) I know there are fans who are looking for that kind of old school reality show drama but I find it tiresome
The only real villain that Drag Race has had is Sherry Pie, and most of that title was earned from behaviour off-camera. Although I did read a few comments about her problematic behaviour on set as well, so I think it’s fair to keep her in that category. Aside from that, the “worst” behaviour is trying to sabotage the competition for another competitor, such as what Phi Phi did (or tried to do) on her turns. And I really don’t like Kandy as a competitor aside from her use as a foil, but aside from being obnoxious and immature and unlikable, she isn’t quite in that category. Yet. That’s why I categorize her as a “heel”, as she’s certainly generating a lot of fan pushback and drawing a contrast with the more sympathetic and, frankly, better competitors. She has to own her bad behaviour, but I still get the feeling that there’s still a lot of producer -based shenanigans going on with her edit. So yes, she’s not “that” bad (as in the “worst”). I didn’t say she was not “so bad”.And let’s not let her pack off the hook, either: in Untucked, everyone but Elliott (and Kandy, if only by omission) claimed that Tamisha’s Extravaganza look was actually worse than LaLa’s, which is insane.
“Kandy lecturing Eliott on self-awareness and reading a room.”This. This is why I don’t like her…
When they mentioned, critiques to give each other, Kandy went for Elliott. A critique is, “blend your paint, pad a different way, or try this silhoutte,” not, “You need to be self-aware, you try really really hard to fit it!” Bitch! Nobody asked for a personality assessment, and Elliott wasn’t even participating. Kandy is consistently on the attack when it comes to Elliott. Kandy is PROJECTING. I am sure she will last to the end, because that is the reality formula. She will stay because she is the epicenter of drama, not because she has charisma, uniqueness, and talent. Obviously, Kandy has too much nerve, and she is on my last one.Kandy is a bully.
Kandy is consistently on the attack when it comes to Elliott Kandy is consistently on the attack with everything. Look, I’m trying to be as generous as I can be in my assessment of her here, because I find her annoying and grating and lacking in many departments, and may agree with most of the comments about her toxic behaviour, but also feel for the fact that she’s human, and her friends and family are probably watching this show right now, and that’s gotta hurt.Let’s also note that a bunch of the other queens have also enabled Kandy and either directly supported the group’s blatant ageism (against Tamisha) or voiced troubling comments on their own. I’m just glad that Tamisha can, and does, stand up for herself.
I am already SO done with that bloated Bronx traffic barrel masquerading as a queen. I’m calling that a massive Snatch Game failure is finally what does her in, but I have yet to see a look from Kandy that isn’t half-assed (or at least half her ass on view to all).
“I am already SO done with that bloated Bronx traffic barrel masquerading as a queen.”Well damn. You’re not wrong tho
that bloated Bronx traffic barrel The shade!
Even when obnoxious Reverend Doctor Ganache was simpatico. Kandy is the definition in the Spanish dictionary for antipático.
I’m glad that most comments so far agree with me that Utica should have won. Gottmik was good but as far as her drag style, not my cup of soup. Kinda like how I feel about Trixie Mattel: I get it but I don’t care for it Kandy was a mess. Does well on one challenge then starts running her mouth. I do get the feeling she’s sticking around for a while so hopefully she tones that shit down Let’s talk about who’s had the second worst outfit ever in Drag race herstory because LaLaRi has the top dishonor for sure
Worst brought-from-home outfit: Cynthia Lee Fontaine’s Nike shorts and plain tube socks with the glittery blouse and cowboy hatWorst not-fitting-the-theme outfit: Laganja’s hip-hop outfitOther worst created: Serena Cha-Cha’s ‘soft sculpture’ bobblehead-nightmare
I’m throwing Shangela’s burlap sack disaster and her Christmas Couture Hindenburg into the ring! Bless her. Still, though, I still find Alisa Summers’ Titty on Fire monstrosity to be particularly upsetting. At least LaLa’s outfit had nice colours and her makeup looked beautiful.
I have to wonder if the winners of the first lip sync were chosen at random just to stir up drama.
Well no, you really don’t. We all know Ru was backstage, rubbing her hands and cackling with glee at the thought of personally stirring up some undeserved shit right from the get-go. Season 12’s premiere was so much more well-conceived and executed.
I could tolerate Kandy if she did *one* thing that was truly worthy of all her arrogance and bravado. But she hasn’t done that yet, so she needs to shut up. Or better yet, be shut up. Tamisha! Iman! Is coming! For you! I probably would’ve given the win to Utica for that final look- it was an incredible feat of construction. Symone still looks like a clear winner to me- frankly, keeping your head down and aiming for safe in a challenge you know you’re outclassed in is the smartest decision you can make.
I agree that Symone is still the frontrunner, but I don’t think any of the queens should be sleeping on Utica and Gotmik after this episode.
I’m sure Kandy Muse will find a way.
I wish we’d all take a chill pill. Is Kandy wrong? Is Tamisha wrong? Who cares? Enjoy the drama and don’t harass the girl’s mother.
Yeah I understand the rush to judgement, but sometimes people forget these were filmed months ago. The queens have had time to either make peace or just go their separate ways, so just enjoy the good TV they’re putting out there.
Nicole Byer commenting on Utica’s third outfit with: “She made that in the same amount of time Lala glued bags all over herself” was the line of the night.
she was a delight, her judging is so accurate but she delivers it kindly.
Not only the 3rd category but the whole ball went to Utica with that impeccably constructed sleeping bag look giving major Annie Lennox vibes with the hair and the make-up. OMG. I was floored. Most probably the best garment made out of unconventional materials in RPDR herstory. I also enjoyed Rosé’s 3rd look very much. It was pure fun.
When Olivia said “is there any critique that girls who are here could give to each other?” i interpreted it, like any normal person would, as critiquing the looks, but Kandy immediately turned it into something personal and used it as an opportunity to attack Elliott by saying that she needs more self-awareness while wagging her ginger at her. Who the heck you think you are you insufferable loud mouth?! You are a downright bully.
Kandy telling someone else to be more self-aware might be the most ironic thing that has ever happened on Drag Race.
Hello! Took me some time to gather my thoughts.DRAG RACE US: excellent episode, where I told my boyfriend “this one is an Utica win” as soon as they announced the category. I am not too sure of the criticism (“being too camp takes away from how gorgeous you are”), but I am not mad about Gottmik winning either. I am actually happy of Mik, Symone and Utica leading, as they were my top 3. Yeah, no worries, someone will fuck it up. I am not too sure about the shit stirring as drama, and this untucked being “a good untucked at last”. I guess it is because we have been taught that it is so fun to see people from minorities fight between each other, threatening each other with violence and shouting at each other. They are our circus after all. Not human beings. Just producer beings. That is reality tv, you only matter as a character who brings drama.Which brings me to DRAG RACE UK. Oh my God. I cried, so many times. And there are two points of that episode that made me worry a bit: Ginny Lemon saying that she (they?) is not used to nice words and never to be called pretty, and Tia Kofi rejecting being sexy because she is no Tayce. Why is the gay world like that? In the Drag Race US there are a lot of ugly ageist comments against Tamisha from current walking megaphone, Kandy, and in the UK there were several really ugly comments against Lawrence Chaney, basically telling that she (he?) will be single forever. What the fuck? When did we learn to be so incredibly mean? Beauty fades super fast on the eye of the beholder and what remains is uniqueness, those details that make you adorable (having said that, I think Tayce IS adorable and very intelligent). Why are they comparing each other to super boring standards of beauty and why, being from a minority that does not stop being told that we are weird, unnatural, they insult each other with the same words? Where is that bullying coming from, that bullying that even comes from themselves? Ginny Lemon, I would kiss you all over your body, you ray of sunshine. Tia Kofi, maybe I have done already. Which is another point that I find funny about this season: I am pretty sure I have been in the same club or party with all the London queens (hell, Bimini hosted one of the better parties at The Cause I miss so much The Cause bring it back). London is just a little town.So, glorious lip syncs both. But the UK episode was even more emotional. I actually started to clap and overventilate when RuPaul said who was staying.
I love the heart your bring to your comments.
If I’m a judge and LaLa comes down the runway in that shit, she doesn’t even make it to the end before I say “get the fuck out”, and I can’t understand why she was even able to insult the show with that fucking trash; what the fuck did she do with her time? And, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again-Kandy is a toxic mix of overconfidence and under intellect; she’s still not as bad as Silky, but she’s barreling towards that depressing title.
I think the show’s treatment of LaLa’s garment (and yes, I’m using that word) was sure-footed and exactly right for the situation. All of the critiques (especially Nicole’s) were fair without being cruel, and she was rightly told to lipsync because of it. Some people just can’t do these challenges, but they’re typically one-offs, and they don’t provide a great gauge of how the queens will do later in the season. Shangela’s constructed looks in both S2 and s3 were both horrendous, but she would never have been able to show her amazing comedic and performance abilities if she had been automatically eliminated for those disasters. LaLa really did give us an Experience in her lipsync, and she deserved to stay.
It’s nice to see all the looks, but the presentation of that many runways needs to be adjusted for pacing to keep me focused.
And, naturally, the next episode is going to start with the blowout of a fight from Untucked…
Caught up on the whole season in one day, wooo! Uttica has been my surprise favorite; initially had her pegged as just another Yvie or Krystal, but she’s been so fun. This early in the competition its hard for me to distinguish between all the twink queens, so everyone else is mostly a blur.I’m rooting hardest for Tamisha. She seems pretty tired and poised, so I hope she steps up. But she’s so fascinating to have around and really brings something new by being so old-school and experienced, which is a bit odd to say. I thought her looks were fine. Maybe not great, but not terrible. Unlike….KANDY. Ugggghhhhh…….she’s so loud and awful, and she’s just like a member of my family that everyone hates. Most of her looks have been terrible, though that magic trick was pretty great. She exploded like a child so easily, and I’m frankly disappointed in the others for supporting her through it. And I don’t want to shame her for her size, but please, stop wearing those tiny bikinis. You can be sexy and revealing while still being flattering to your figure. As Eureka and co. said, PROPORTIONIZING! Its been lazy, lazy, lazy. And why did she not have an outfit with a train last week when they’re told the themes beforehand?Not watching UK, but I did watch All Stars. Wish Miz Cracker could have won. All of the top 3 were so good.
#JusticeForUtica she won this ball