By That You Mean

Only three episodes into RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race, and already a few things are undeniably true: 1) The season is too short, and yet 2) The All Stars format doesn’t perfectly translate to the Drag Race pedigree. Sure, it’s been great seeing these ladies again, but I’m not finding each episode quite as thrilling as before.

Some self-awareness is obviously absolutely necessary for a drag performer, but there’s something more going on this season. It’s more than just awareness of being on camera. Is it maybe that they all want to continue to be in the good graces of Ru herself or else risk losing a place? Drag queens will always be drag queens, but anecdotally it feels like we’re seeing them more in more in print, TV, and online. Is RuPaul to blame/congratulate? But I digress. Let’s rate episode 3… Continue reading →

The celebrity impersonation episodes on RuPaul’s Drag Race each season are probably my favorite because we get to see the girls pull hilarious shit out of their pockets. I’m so happy it’s making its way to the shortened All Stars season. It’s with great sadness, then, that I have to say that this episode felt a little tired. Yikes it was kind of bad! Still, it remains watchable simply based on the presence of these lively characters, not to mention Ru. Yet the pacing and humor were noticeably off this week, and you’ll see this reflected below in the patented Drag-o-Meter ratings. Continue reading →

RuPaul is back, and we couldn’t be happier here at BTYM. Her eponymous Drag Race is by no stretch of hyperbole the most consistently engaging source of camp goodness in reality television history. What better type of person to star/compete in the reality format than the ever self-aware drag queen? The confluence of identity formation, fakeness, and attitude is a swirling tropical storm of faggotry that we will never tire of.

So it is with great earnestness that we bring back the patented Drag-o-Meter for this, the first “All Stars” spin-off season, which by the way we are in full support of. It’s not like they won’t be making another normal season, and these aren’t humdrum normal random people trying to be famous. They are PERFORMERS trying to entertain. This week there was surprising contrast in the good, the bad, and the what the fuckery. To the results!

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The Drag-o-Meter makes its triumphant return October 22nd, when the new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race premieres its new “All Stars” season.

This RuPaul’s Drag Race reunion has a lot to live up to! What did Willam do? Who is the winner? Will it be Chad Michaels, the class act? Phi Phi Ohara, the bitch? Or Sharon Needles, the avant garde?

This was quite the high production value episode, especially for a reunion special. Usually it’s held on a blacked out soundstage with very basic staging. Certainly it’s never been in full theater…with spectacular coordinating outfits…and choreography…and celebrity guests. Needless to say it was rather impressive. Continue reading →

So yah, we totally got pwned. We won’t have the winner announced until next week’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Reunited. As such, there’s also no Untucked this week. I love that RuPaul asks the viewers to vote for the winner, when we all know it’s still gonna be her decision, obvy. Remember, the reunited episode is months later, after most of the show has aired. It’ll be interesting to see both the decision as well as what all the other contestants have thought after seeing each other on TV. Needless to say, this has been one of the most exciting seasons so far, and the patented Drag-o-Meter ratings system had a lot to measure this week… Continue reading →

It’s the final four y’all! I can’t believe I ever doubted Chad Michaels. She’s never been in the bottom two, and her presence there this week was understandable given that there are only four girls left.

We have a little time to kill before next week’s finale (though I still recommend watching the clip show currently up), so let’s take an in-depth look at the most recent episode.

The Drag-o-Meter (TM) is all-knowing! Continue reading →

This was an episode without many major dramatic moments, but I feel like it had loads of tiny subtle moments. Well, as subtle as you can expect from a show about men dressing as women. The laughs really built up, until you didn’t realize you were laughing the whole time.

It’s the annual makeover episode, and not a minute too soon. Of course, on a show already full of heavy makeup, wigs, and dresses, the makeover episode requires the girls to makeover random straight guys. In this case they are all fathers, I think strictly so that they can be referred to coyly as “daddies” all throughout. The trick is you don’t pick the hottest guy, because he probably won’t transform as easily. You want the ones who are already sort of ambiguous looking. But there’s a twist! The DILFs (“dads I’d like to frock”) have to be sporting “baby bump realness.” My only complaint is that this should be a much earlier challenge because it relies so heavily on the strangers. It’s not a challenge that indicates the strengths of the girls so so well. Still, it’s all about transformation, and that’s sort of the point of all of this.

On to the Drag-o-Meter! Continue reading →

Sorry for the long delay since the Drag-o-Meter last registered a blip on RuPaul’s Drag Race. As you’ll recall, it was a sad and unexpected day for the crown jewel of team As the Day is Long. I have been sitting shiva for Willam, may she rest in Palm Springs, ever since. But we must move on.

Hush, just stop. There’s nothing you can do or say, baby. I’ve had enough. I’m not your property as from today, baby. You might think that I won’t make it on my own, but now I’m… Continue reading →