We're days late arriving to the conversation about RuPaul's Drag Race Season 8 but donut come for me (heh). There are only so many hours in the day. Watching the "Meet the Queens" teaser I predicted Bob, Kim Chi and Laila for the top three (in a betting pool) and then Laila landed in the bottom two the very first episode. Whoops! There goes a tenner.
Kim Chi, who describes herself as an anime character, did a Cowardly Lion homage (there are always movie references!). More after the jump if you're so inclined...
S8.01 "Keeping it 100"
For the 100th episode, Ru focused on the impact of the show over the past 7 years with callbacks to every previous winner (all but Bianca showed, replaced hilariously with a circus clown) and a challenge based on a hodgepodge of previous challenges.
Pros: This batch of Queens already slayed Season 7's lineup
Cons: The mix of challenges was actually anti-fun because it robbed the audience of the foundation of reality competition joy (comparing the contenders). They were actually competing with vague memories from the past and not each other. No bueno.
Episode MVP (and winner):
Kim Chi giving great quote "donut come for me" AND won the challenge AND set up future drama (her mom doesn't know she does drag)
Kindred Spirit Quotable
via Laila McQueen
Best Read:
Violet Chochki on Naomi Small's toes... "CLIFFHANGERS" - ha!
TOP SIX (early preferences -- not predictions -- Alpha Order)
Acid Betty, Kim Chi, Bob the Drag Queen, Derrick Barry, Laila McQueen, and Naomi Smalls
MOVIE REFERENCES
anime, Butterfly McQueen, Carole Lombard, Rita Hayworth, Jean Harlow, Beetlejuice, A Cry in the Dark, Gone With the Wind, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, Paris is Burning, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Showgirls, Sunset Blvd, and The Wizard of Oz
OTHER POP CULTURE REFERENCES
Angelyne, Carol Burnett, Eva Longoria, Florence Henderson, Washington crossing the Delaware, Miss America, Naomi Campbell, Rihanna, Biggie Smalls, 90s supermodels, Studio 54, Storm from the X-Men, Hello Kitty, Wynonna Judd, Beyoncé, and Britney Spears. Plus endless references to RuPaul's Drag Race itself and its 100 queens -- this episode is an ororobus with its snake-face beat.
CUTEST IN BOY DRAG
1. Derrick Barry
2. <--- Laila McQueen
3. Naomi Smalls
EPISODE GRADE
B. A solid start but the main challenge lacked focus and the lipsynch was low energy. At least until Laila pulled out her "quasi-gimmicks" which was a lot of rock bar stripper writhing
MORE BUTCH QUEENS
If this isn't enough Drag Race for you make sure to check out this fun recap at Previously TV and power rankings at Towleroad and the first episode of Untucked backstage.
This interview with RuPaul at Billboard is worth a look too. Especially in Ru's understanding that we need to be more attuned to our cultural history:
When I was coming up, I had mentors who taught me about Tennessee Williams and Tallulah Bankhead and Truman Capote and [Federico] Fellini -- all that stuff. That sort of went away at one point, for young gay people. So I'm so proud of Drag Race for taking up the slack in that department, because so many young kids around the world, in remote places around the world, get to watch Drag Race and learn about Paris Is Burning or Grey Gardens. Even just attitudes toward drag -- different styles of drag.