Thirteen.
Oh hunny. It's that time of the year again. On January first the dolls are back.
Yes, it's time for season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race. And I'm ready. I'm excited and feeling hopeful that this time the Queens will be able to show more of themselves. Queens from season twelve had she-who-must-not-be-mentioned fucking things up and messing the edit and then on top of that, a fucking pandemic. Talk about a struggle.
So this will be a post about first impressions. We always bring our biases and perceptions to the table, even when it has to do with Drag Queens in candy colored costumes. Or maybe especially when it has to do with Drag Queens, given that Drag performers mark the confluence of gender identity, sexual orientation, social class, race and performance art. Oh, you have never stopped to think why is it that you enjoy (or not) Drag performances?
I would say that there’s a lot at play when someone sits down to watch performers that double as avatars for marginalized sections of society while they vie for a one hundred thousand dollars prize and the opportunity to change their lives forever. Yeah, we bring a lot of baggage to one hour of reality television, whether we realize it or not. And so it has started again. Season thirteen is upon us, and like millions more, I’ll sit in front of the TV and wish for my favorite performer to win the prize. And they don’t always do. I’m still recovering for never liking Aquaria. Ever. How can a Drag performer come across as bland? That was not a memorable win for me. But I hope this season will be different. I don't know most of the queens competing and I think that's good! I like it when I go into a season and everything is a surprise. So after watching the promo and based solely on first impressions these are my fav in order of appearance:
Fun, focused. Love the look. Very earth-y? The fact that she's a professional skater may bring something to the challenges? I like her.
This look is EVERYTHING. Face beat. Corset cinched. Attitude unchecked. Love it all.
I'm excited about Gottmik. I did a post about him awhile back and now he's on Drag Race!!
Love the attitude. Very punk rock. I like queens that got in Drag Race and have something to prove. I wanna see them come for Joey when she doesn’t wear a wig.
OMG I wanna have brunch with her. STAT. Great energy. This girl is a riot.
Rosé:
This one is gonna give somebody a piece of her mind. I can see it. Also, Rosé is the only wine I can drink.
Fun, fearless and I love the attitude. Also, that body. I wanna see her perform.
Sassy and brassy. Quintessential Drag IMHO. Somehow reminds me of Brita Filter and Jan all rolled in one.
And that's it. Those are my favorites after watching the promo video. I have no idea how they perform and I'll refrain from looking them up on youtube before I see them perform on Drag Race. I cannot believe these looks (all of them I think killed it) and comparing this to Season One (it's on Amazon) I cannot believe the changes the contest has gone through. We’ve come a long way, right, Virginia?
Ladies and gentlegays, start your engines!
XOXO
P.S. did you watch the video? Which is/are your favs? Do you agree with me? I wanna know.
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about Denali, her look looks something from the 1930s, but I don't really know what.
ReplyDeleteI know!
DeleteAnd isn't she pretty??
XOXO
Imma sleep on it. Hope you are enjoying your holi-gayz. I am at my sister's in Madison. The boyfriend wanted to get away, as we both seem a bit haunted by Cedric. Watched the sun come up this morning... love it. Kizzes. Be good.
ReplyDeleteOhhh Upton. So sorry about Cedric!!!
DeleteAnd I think you'd enjoy this season. The girls seem engaging and there's big personalities. It may help get into something fun and mindless, too.
XOXO
Thanks for the heads up! I'll have to watch!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI have notified my friend that his Tivo is mine!
LOL
XOXO
I'm ready. I have DVR'd all the previous season's Snatch Games because those are my faves. I am so ready for some good clean[?] drag fun!
ReplyDeleteOf course!
DeleteIt's the trial by fire of many of these girls. Last season I was thoroughly surprised by Gigi Goode's game!
XOXO
Well....this season for me was a bit more nice because she finally picked some queens lesser known.....but still couldn't resist from picking queens from drag houses and the same four major cities...(over half the cast....is from yet again NYC , Atlanta, and Chicago. They need to stop this. This country is huge with drag in all cities. And yet again the budget for these queens to get their acts together was bank shattering. Which is why we'll probably never see more of local queens on the show. That said....looks to me there is going to be clear top four....i won't be surprised if Gottmik takes the Crown. I do think the new York queens are going to clean house. I think my top four I liked are Gottmik, Tina burner, Kandy Muse, Symone. I also like Joey and Elliott.....but more show...less content....I think they will be among the first gone along with Kahmora Hall and Tashmisha. I also like Deneli.....but i sadly think she will be the Jan of season 12....float and do well till mid way and then get cut.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteI think some of these girls do not have a huge IG following or are relatively unknown but you are right. I also think that it's got way too expensive to get in the show. Where's the drag on a dime?
Gottmik looks fantastic and has a great personality. And hopefully Deneli does not get the Porkchop treatment!!
Looking forward to your comments this season!
XOXO
We don't watch faithfully. We catch an episode here and there. We enjoy them so I don't know why we don't tune in all the time. But there it is. XOXO
ReplyDeleteBTW - we watched "Uncle Frank" over the weekend. Good film.
"Uncle Frank" was great!
DeleteI have watched every season. From the beginning.
DeleteI was just watching season one on Amazon.
And I watched Uncle Frank. And wrote about it, of course!
LOL
XOXO
Joey Jay!!! Gave me everything in that picture!! One of the drag queens from my town competed on it : Nina West! I adore her!! She didn't win however and as disappointed as I was, I did like the winer that year.
ReplyDeleteOMG
DeleteNina West was fantastic! Cheeky and smart always makes for good drag. And she's an activist, very involved in social causes.
Also, Nina out of drag? Yum. I'd Kiki in a heartbeat!
XOXO
Yes I’m with debs thanks for the heads up deArheart x.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!!
DeleteIt seems this season is going to be good!
XOXO
13? Really? it seems like only yesterday!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking about that because I re-watched the first season on Amazon. It's really been that long! And you can tell in the production. Gone are the days of the tiny runway and the vaseline-smeared lens...
DeleteXOXO
I haven't watched in years, since like season 7 or 8? When your in Weho....and every other queens does drag.... but got I wish my gal Gottmik luck. She will slay. No offense to these queens or my favorite, flirty queen Mistress Maddie...but im so burnt out of RuPaul and the show....its too much. But Maddie make a good point. The cast is always heavily made up of the same couple big cities or drag families. Probably why we enjoyed the international ones better.
ReplyDeleteAnd to be honest, Rupaul annoys me lately.
I have watched every season. From the start.
DeleteAnd I can imagine you seen all these girls in their natural habitat. LOL hey, at least you'll be a good judge of their talents!
I love Gottmik. Even since he did James St. Jame's make up.
And you should comment more on posts like this or like Maddie's when we talk about Drag artists and Drag in general. It would be great to have your point of view!
XOXO