RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars - Reunited and It Feels So Good
Friday, October 28, 2016 at 8:00AM Chris here capping off this season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. After a stellar finale, the show took a week off before last night's reunion, our final adieu for the show's most popular and fan-rousing season yet. The night may have been padded with nine too many commercial breaks and not a lot of fireworks between the queens, it was a refreshingly chill send off for our girls after a drama-packed season. Here are the biggest moments:
RuPaul brandishing his Emmy
Sure, this is old news, but still seeing Mama Ru show off that trophy after ten seasons of the show and a long history in entertainment is still so satisfying. Now let's get one for the damn show itself. Season 8 and this round of All Stars provided some of the best the show has to offer, so: your move Emmy voters.
Yes, Phi Phi O'Hara was a no show
And to return the shade in kind, RuPaul doesn't even mention her by name. In fact, Phi Phi's "editing" boohooing leads Ru to install-
The Bullshit Paddle
In a bid to maybe stir up some lingering drama, Ru gives the girls all a "bullshit" paddle to call out any of the other queens who may not be keeping it real. Naturally, our beloved Tell It Like It Is queen Alyssa Edwards is the first to make use.
Coco Montrese Almost Died
Before coming to the competition, Coco had a very bad health scare thanks to not taking proper care of herself on the road. You feel for her for maybe the first time when she talks about what the opportunity to come to All Stars meant to her at the time, but she kills it by bringing up bitterness and Twitter beef with her eliminator Roxxxy Andrews.
Adore For All Stars 3?
Even if she stumbled to elaborate on quitting the competition, Adore looked stunning. This was exactly how to stay true to her aesthetic while elevating the look to All Stars finesse. She was evasive at Ru's hint of her for All Stars 3, but it's a delight to see her smile again.
Alaska Addresses the Haters
She's been smart to meet the outrage with jokes in the fallout of her unpopular elimination choices and meltdown, but this took the cake. In addressing allegations of being "fake" she pulled out her only scrap of fakeness: a false leg. (This is apparently a Real Housewives reference, but I don't watch.) This is the organic, spot on Alaska I'd missed all season.
Alyssa-isms
The girls did get slightly tiffy over the judges "it's not great but you're Alyssa" critiques, with Alaska even calling Alyssa's camera dress the worst of the season. Consider me on the side of Alyssa's "Everyone has their own drag" rebuttal. Remove Alaska's vocal mannerisms, Katya's absurdity, or Alyssa's wackiness and they each lose something essential that sets them apart - why deny that when what makes a queen succeed on this show is being their complete self?
Pile Up on Phi Phi
The reunion kind of made a thing about talking about Phi Phi while trying to not even say her name. Alyssa fessed up to partly eliminating Phi Phi for how her "darksided" attitude was bringing the group down, ever the group's earth mother. Tatianna got the read of the night in calling out Phi Phi for not hugging Alyssa: if she avoided hugs because of potential tears, where were those tears? Phi Phi can only blame herself for not showing up to at least defend herself.
Sex With Fans
In maybe the most loose moment of a pretty direct evening, the girls weren't shy about discussing their willingness to hook up with fans. Tatianna was more cagey, to which Katya pulled out the Bullshit Paddle: "You're a slut."
Loving on Katya
If Alaska got the girls admiration, Katya was the one they showered with affection. Her crazy humor and deep-cut references (like this Total Recall look) took a back seat to recognizing her kindness however. Ginger said "she doesn't have a mean bone in her body" and of course Katya couldn't let such sincerity rest:
Which brings us to the close of a great season and the beginning of the waiting game for more Drag Race. Tell us in the comments what queens you'd like to see on season 9 and All Stars 3!
Reader Comments (14)
All Stars 3 would not be complete without Trixie Mattel. She has shown incredible growth since her season. And some combination of Ongina, Thorgy Thor, BenDeLaCreme, Naomi Smalls and Chi Chi DeVayne too!
I'll always shill for Willam, the Eddie Haskell of drag. And at the other extreme, I'd like to see Ivy Winters again. And by the way, this reunion episode was incredibly dull and disappointing. Made me almost wish Phi Phi had shown up to make a lot of telegenic trouble.
sfenton24 - 100% agreed on Trixie, but I'm also pulling for Laganja (talk about a redemption arc) and Kennedy Davenport
FWIW I'm hoping my local queen Nina West gets on one of these days. For years whenever Michelle Visage is asked what queens she wants on, Nina's name is always mentioned
I think they should have more than just one big queen on per season. Season three had two I know. So Derion Lake and my fav Delta Work!!! Also more comedy queens and less pageant queens. Bendelacreme and Thorgy Tor.
I still don't know if Trixie translates to the competition well though - she's a great queen in her own right but almost one of those queens, (see also: Mariah, Delta, Milk) who thrive off the show.
All Stars 3? Trinity, Laganja, Joslyn, Darienne (Ben is not ever doing it again), Kim, Acid, ChiChi, Mrs Kasha Davis, Kennedy Davenport, Ongina, Delta, Jessica Wild!
I'd love to see some unappreciated and forgotten queens come back - no more from season 5 hey?
After such a high energy season, this reunion feels kinda tame & lame. Mama Ru was soooooo serious & she din even bother to drag & almost everyone is acting coy and demure (except for a highly animated Katya, or issit the editing??) Thx goodness for Alaska, Alyssa & Kayta to shake tinks up a bit. Makes me wish that Phi Phi is there, she will def inject much needed DRAMA!!! Lol
Is there no Missy Congeniality crowned on All-Star?? I was hoping Alyssa or Katya can get sum consolation luv....
PORKCHOP!
@morganb YES to that line-up! I would love to see more of the Season 6 queens represented in the next All Stars and see how they've evolved since their season.
I thought this whole season was Emmy worthy and one of the best of the course of the show. Tatianna looked stunning as always and Adore is cute .I love both these queens so much and are 2 of my all time top 5. As for season 9 I would love to see Farrah Moan ( i know she is rumored to be on but i wont believe it til i see it) and London Adour. both would make the season amazing and i love pretty much everything they do look wise. As for all stars 3 Trixie would be great as would Pearl,Courtney Act,April and Kandy would be good picks too.
My dream cast for All Stars Season 3 (whenever they get around to it which i assume we'll be a couple of years from now). Assuming we only get 10 queens again
* whoever i love most from season 10
* whoever i love most from season 9
* KIM-CHI
* TRIXIE MATTEL
• BEN DE LA CREME
• MRS KASHA DAVIS
• APRIL CARRION
• KELLY MANTLE
* THORGY THOR
* MILK
but i'd dump any of them for WILLAM who I assume will not be invited.
Interesting, I feel like the "it's not great but you're Alyssa" critique works for Alaska as well.
I did want to reiterate that the one change in format that I think would make the all stars season perfect is if RuPaul actually shared the fame and had the judging panel for those seasons be other famous drag queens with him: ladybunny, jackie beat, joey arias, lipsynka and the like... people who have maintained careers for decades like RuPaul. I get that that's probably off brand for RuPaul -- it's all about her. But i think it would be a great way to point to the rich legacy and herstory that the show always maintains that it's paying homage to.
all stars: shangela, jessica wild, stacy layne matthews <3
Nathaniel - Yes to all that, but only if it gives us Coco Peru on our tv screens!!