Tuesday, March 3, 2015

RuPaul's Drag Race: Born Naked

It's that time of year again; time for a new season of RuPaul's Drag Race! Being the seventh season, the new queens all think they know what they're getting themselves into. But do they really? Ru says to expect the unexpected, and I pray she means it. 

The queen's enter one by one, and I'm immediately thrown by what Miss Fame is wearing. Nearly every outfit I've seen her wear is model couture, so her decision to walk in as a purple people eater instantly reshapes what I expect from her. Other standout entrances include Katya's Soviet realness ("It was my grandmother's army uniform"), Max's old Hollywood glamour, and Tempest DuJour popping out a baby seconds after entering the workroom. 

Easily the most entertaining moment of the entrances comes courtesy of Jasmine Masters, who completely geeks out to find out that Kennedy Davenport is competing. It's always great to see queens who appreciate each other's work; let's just hope that Kennedy is nicer to Jasmine than Courtney Act was to Joslyn Fox last season. 

After everyone has arrived the girls get their first mini-challenge. This is usually the part where they do a photoshoot with wacky shenanigans. Not this year: the girls are challenged with coming up with two looks, spring and fall, for a full-fledged runway show. Every is at least decent, with Miss Fame, Pearl and Violet Chachki. 

(Side note 1: Why did multiple queens do reveals right at the start of the runway? Violet's tartan jumpsuit was an incredible reveal, but she could have waited more than three feet before blowing our minds. Same goes for Jasmine Masters, who instantly threw away a yellow jacket that seemed like the best part of her spring look. Patience is a virtue, ladies.)

(Side note 2: Was anyone else getting flashbacks to Rosamund Pike's Oscar dress when Miss Fame hit the runway?)

Having already showing the queens in an astounding 42 total outfits, RuPaul decides to mix up the main stage presentation by having the queens make tearaway resort wear so they can walk the runway in the nude (or a nude illusion). This understandably freaks out most of the queens since, as Trixie Mattel points out, they usually use drag to hide most natural parts of their bodies. In the end everyone is just wearing skin-toned body suits with nipples painted on except Violet (although the weird blurring made it difficult to see; maybe some other queens were going full beaver too).

Michelle reads Violet for giving too much boy body, but it's not enough to keep her from becoming the winner of the first challenge of the season. The top three is rounded out by Miss Fame (who is visibly irritated by Violet's win) and, somewhat oddly, Kennedy Davenport. The judges loved her Bob Mackie-inspired wings, but it's something we've seen done better in previous seasons. My guess is that Pearl was knocked from the top three on account of wearing high-waisted underwear during her nude walk.


The bottom four is where I have a huge issue with this episode. Based on editing and looks, I was positive that the lipsync would be between Jasmine Masters and Sasha Belle: Jasmine for her bizarre, unwearable hula-hoop "outfit" and Sasha for being the only queen to not make her body suit appear like a naked body. Instead, we get a battle between Tempest DuJour and Kandy Ho; Tempest for wearing fabrics that make her look bigger and Kandy for a makeup job that looked like a beard.The whole situation came across less like an organic decision of the worst two queens and more like a continuation of a "fight" caused by Kandy asking Tempest her age. It was disappointing to see Tempest go home so soon.


The thirteen remaining queens, however, seem like one of the most talented groups of queens that the show has ever had, and I'm incredibly looking forward to see how it all shakes out. I'm really looking forward to recapping it, since I haven't seen too many outlets doing it regularly. If anyone reads this and enjoys it, feel free to offer suggestions!


Best Line: "I don't know what Miss Crab Lady's doing in that lipsync, but the bearded ho is turning it out." -Katya


Predicted Top Three

Katya
Miss Fame
Ginger Minj

Personal Ranking (based on looks, personality, and other arbitrary factors)

1. Katya
2. Max
3. Trixie Mattel
4. Ginger Minj
5. Jaidynn Diore Fierce
6. Miss Fame
7. Sasha Belle
8. Mrs. Kasha Davis
9. Pearl
10. Violet Chachki
11. Kennedy Davenport
12. Jasmine Masters
13. Kandy Ho

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