RuPaul brings back some All Stars, plus Sesame Street on CNN, standup, and Queer Eye returns

TV Lists What's On Tonight
RuPaul brings back some All Stars, plus Sesame Street on CNN, standup, and Queer Eye returns
Top left: Sesame Street. Bottom left: Yvonne Orji. Bottom center: Queer Eye’s Jonathan Van Ness and Marcos Tiacopilco. Right: Shea Couleé of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars. Photo:

Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Friday, June 5, and Saturday, June 6. All times are Eastern.


Top picks

RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (VH1, Friday, 8 p.m., season-five premiere): Under normal circumstances, this is where we’d make a joke about how it’s been a whole five minutes since the last time Drag Race was on the air, given that the last season finale happened exactly a week ago. But since a week seems like several years at the moment, instead we’ll say this: It’s about damn time they brought Ongina into the mix.

It’s not as though this season-one legend doesn’t face some stuff competition, including season nine runner-up and all-around bad bitch Shea Couleé and season two/original All Stars legend Jujubee. But Ongina is well overdue for another turn in the Drag Race spotlight and we’re excited to see the many crazy headpieces she’s acquired in the last decade. Kate Kulzick will recap.

Can you binge it? Some of it. Hulu and Amazon Prime have some early seasons (Amazon has one through five, Hulu has one through six, plus two seasons of All Stars and several of Untucked), but that should get you started.

Queer Eye (Netflix, Friday, 3:01 a.m., complete fifth season): If you find yourself needing to cry about something in a happy-cry kind of way, might we recommend a trip to Philadelphia with the Fab Five?

Can you binge it? Yes, all seasons (plus the We’re In Japan mini-season) await you on Netflix. Bring tissues.

Regular coverage

For kids

Coming Together: Standing Up To Racism (CNN, Saturday, 10 a.m., one-hour town hall special): And now, for something completely different, CNN is once again partnering with Sesame Street for a Town Hall special aimed at kids and families. This time, they’re focusing on racism and the ongoing protests around the world. Sesame Street characters and less fuzzy experts will answer questions submitted by families (through the form at the bottom of this page). In addition to its broadcast on CNN proper, it will air on CNN International and CNN En Español. It will also stream live on CNN.com and the various CNN apps, with no login required—meaning you don’t need cable to catch this with your kids.

On stage At home

Coriolanus (National Theatre Live via YouTube, through June 11): This week’s free offering from the invaluable National Theatre Live is one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known tragedies, starring the fairly well-known Tom Hiddleston. Expect political machinations and some stunning visuals—the production was directed by Josie Rourke (Mary Queen Of Scots). And after watching, a mini-reunion (via Zoom) awaits you.

Wild cards

Three standup specials worth a look arrive this weekend, so let’s hit each of them in a wild-card lightning round.

Yvonne Orji: Momma, I Made It! (HBO, Saturday, 10 p.m., comedy special premiere): First up: Insecure’s Yvonne Orji, receiving the glossy HBO treatment she so richly deserves. Click here to read Ashley Ray-Harris’ review.

Gina Brillon: The Floor Is Lava (Amazon, Friday, 3:01 a.m., comedy special premiere): Bronx native Brillon follows up on her previous specials Easily Offended and Pacifically Speaking with an Amazon special and a sick pantsuit.

Esther Povitsky: Hot For My Name (Comedy Central, Friday, 10 p.m., comedy special premiere): This alumnus of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and Freeform’s Alone Together, which she co-created, strong-arms her parents into jumping into her very funny pool of discomfort.

8 Comments

  • die21283-av says:

    I feel I need to point out that JuJuBee was on All-Stars 1 and not All-Stars 2. All-Stars 1 was such a different animal, and that’s why she’s back.

  • picvegita-av says:

    I love Esther (from her work on Crazy Ex and Alone Together, thank you for the heads up as I look for laughs this weekend.

  • characteractressmargomartindale-av says:

    (Might be a mis-labeled/out of date guide on DirecTV but) Esther’s special is not showing up for tonight at 10PM EDT (or tomorrow) on CC.

    • bmglmc-av says:

      clearly, you’ve just slipped off the mainline Probable Parallel Universe Track.

      Check the Periodic Table of the Elements to make sure it’s all as you remember. If the number for Vanadium is off by less than three you’ll be okay wherever you land. If Iron is anything other than 26 then pull the fucking cord.

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