Hey kitty girlz (n boys and anyone in between)! I’m baaaaaaaaaack!
I’m gonna give y’all the deets on what you missed on the past two episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 2, so if you don’t want anything spoilt, avert your eyes NOW….
EPISODE 1 WAS SO WILD. After 10 exciting workroom entrances (special shout out to Coco’s Dorito compact) and about 12 minutes of Alyssa Edwards primping in the mirror, our queens were reunited with Ru, who RuVealed the mini-challenge: Reading is Fundamental! Yaaasss Mamma Ru, you stir that pot hunty! For those of y’all unacquainted with this challenge, it’s basically a chance for all the queens to show off their witty side by “reading” each other.
The term “reading” has its roots in drag culture and is the act of pointing out someone’s flaws in a witty manner to detract from his or her overall “realness,” another drag term that refers to a queen’s ability to “pass as real”. In a way, to “read someone” is to call someone out for not actually being “real.” In Paris is Burning, NYC queen of the 80’s Dorian Corey discusses how reading is much different than straight people saying offensive slurs to gay people, because it lacks the implication of a societal hierarchy dominated by heterosexuals. Both the person reading and the person being read are on the same fundamental level with regard to the social structure, which is why it must be so theatrically witty and specific.
– Me, in a literal essay I wrote for an actual college class. Thanks, UCLA.
Alright, but back to trash–Reading is Fundamental. Alaska won the challenge, but special mentions go to Katya for her read of Roxxxy Andrews’ experience of getting abandoned by his mother at a bus stop. My jaw hit the floor. So did Alaska.
Antyways… after the mini challenge, Ru tasked the girls with their main challenge: a talent show! Dances were danced, songs were sung, gymnastic stunts were gymnastic-ed, and soon came time for the judges’ critiques.
Michelle fucking went IN for Adore with her criticisms, which apparently were ever-present during the Battle of the Seasons (BOTS) tour. The bottom was narrowed down to Adore, who sang an original song, Coco, who danced an old-Hollywood dance in an ugly AF dress, and Phi Phi O’Hara, who tried to convince the world she could sing again (and failed…again), and the Top Two were Roxxxy, who performed a steamy burlesque number, and Tatiana, who performed a WILD spoken word (WHICH YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO NOW RIGHT IT’S SO WILD).
The two Turnt It Out for the Lipsync for their Legacy, and Ru declared Roxxxy Andrews as the winner! After some deliberation, Roxxxy decided to eliminate Coco (who had validly performed poorly, but like….really? Keeping Phi Phi??? Really queen????). Guess orange really wasn’t the new black. At the very end, while Coco packed up in the workroom, she was surprised with a video from Ru, informing her that she’d have a chance to come back for her REVENGE *cue dramatic string music* Watch out Roxxxy, because Coco’s not gonna hold back!
EPISODE 2 WAS EVEN MORE WILD. LIKE, TOO WILD. I watched the episode live in a bar in Brooklyn surrounded by The Public, and everyone was literally screaming the entire time. I can’t even write an adequate summary for the episode because SO MUCH went down. I’m just gonna make a little bullet point list because my Virgo sun loves them/it’ll keep things vague enough to ENCOURAGE Y’ALL TO WATCH THIS WILD AF EPISODE. COME ON.
Things that happened Episode 2:
— Adore and Michelle Visage ~drama~ and Adore’s exit from the show
— FUCKIN’ SNATCH GAME
— Alaska as Mae West snatched my heart
— PHI PHI MIND GAME SABOTAGE YET AGAIN (poor Roxxxy)
— Katya as Bjork completed my life…I can finally die happy
After the judges’ critiques, Tatianna, Detox (whose runway was KILLER–check her out serving up National Geographic realness!), and Roxxxy were chosen as the Bottom, and The Top Two were Katya and Alaska, who duked it out in a Lipsync to “Le Freak (Freak Out)” by Chic. Alaska was chosen as the winner, and she sent Tatianna home, even though Roxxxy totally performed the worst in the Snatch Game (see: Phi Phi’s plotting). Long live Rolaskatox! By this time, the bar was OVERFLOWING with salt from all the drama that ensued this episode. Tatianna didn’t deserve to go home, but she’ll be back for her RuVenge (hopefully? Still no reveal as to what this twist is???? Come on mamma Ru let us know!!!!)
For a deeper look/review of episode 2’s runways with commentary from Season 3 Winner, Raja Gemini (MY FAVE), and Season 2/All Stars 1 Runner Up Raven, check out RuPaul’s Photo Fashion RuView! It’s a weekly video series on the World of Wonder (the production agency for Drag Race) on YouTube!
Well, that’s all I got for these episodes. Tune in at midnight on Fridays on http://www.logotv.com/ for the internet stream, or LIVE on LogoTV Thursdays at 8/7c. I really encourage y’all to watch the last episode because SO MUCH HAPPENED.
See y’all next week, and remember…