RuPaul's DRAG RACE [Season 12]

[CellarDweller]

After the non-elimination (which I'm not mad at) the queen do their usual deliberation. It's time to talk about stats, Ben dela Creme is working out the algorithm so the queens have time to spill the tea. Gigi channels Aquaria to point out she's annoyed by the double save because she wanted it to be Top 5. Jackie channels every queen post lipsync, talking about how THIS TIME the fire that it lit is going to change things (Brita is shooketh). And Heidi is channeling... herself? #HEpiphany. BWAHAHAHAHA! This really is a very sweet Top 6, I do genuinely like them all and to jump ahead, I agree with Ru's comment later: "you six are really some of the best we've ever had here, you're something else. I wish you would be the 6 forever and ever."

I was not mad either, I thought they both killed it, and was very happy to see them both there. When Jackie made that comment about 'change', I wanted to say; "What, you needed to lip sync 3 times for that message to sink in?" Also loved Ru's comment about the top six, they are amazing.

EVERYBODY LOVES PUPPETS
I'm devastated. I'm crushed. Not since "I choose Manila" have I been so applaud! I have been championing puppets for three seasons, since they stopped doing it after Season 9. It is my favourite mini-challenge And THIS MEDIOCRITY is what I was waiting for? I think... not! No-one's getting a trophy, this was rubbish!!! What happened? Most of these remaining queens did really well in the (sort of)"Reading" challenge gifting, and this is basically the same principle. Maybe they just got the wrong puppet for the wrong queen. If only Jackie had got Crystal, because her Crystal impression in episode 9 was spot on. Jackie was "the best" but the bar was low. It would be akin to getting the Top Toot for your runway... when the competition was Jiggly Caliente and Jocelyn Fox. And to rub salt in the wound, the puppets looked sooooo good. Jaida's mini-Gigi with her Ball Ball outfit, Gigi's mini-Jackie bearded Genie, Heidi's muppet realness mini-Crystal.

OMG, your comment about Jiggly and Jocelyn is toooo funny! Yeah, it was a bit of a let down, but I was glad to see Jackie get a mini-win.

ONE DRAG QUEEN SHOW
This is one of the most creative AND DIFFICULT challenges I've seen the show do; it was akin to "Dragracadabra" last season, with even less help in narrative (SIDE BAR: Nina West would have slayyyyyed this challenge). And so for the hardest challenge they needed the best advice and they got it! Whoopi Goldberg was one of the most supportive and informative queens since Kathy Najimy directing the queens in the TV Commercial for Disco Shortening in season 2. The nuggets of wisdom she gave each queen was indispensable, and she was bang on the money every-time. I applaud all of them, this was not easy, and I saw potential in each and every one of their routines (well... maybe not Jaida's). And OH MY GOD DAHLIA IS BACK! Actually back! That wasn't CGI, she was there in that fierce Broc-ally outfit.

GOOD REVIEWS FROM THE BIG PINK FURRY BOX THEATRE
"Phenomenal Phil" by Crystal Methyd. I really liked this; the stupid muscle suit with those child tattoos of a tiger and a snake! BWAHAHAHA! It was stupid fun. If only she had done a non-Crystal voice, like Raja's meat-head from Season 3's "Totally Leotarded" challenge, that would have sold the routine even better. She is embracing Yvie's mantra of "Fly your freak FLAG!" [WHOOPI WISDOM - make it fun for you, don't worry if it's funny for me]
"Welcome Aboard Brimstone Airways" by Gigi Goode. I'm tempted to give her the trophy. Did she stumble, yes. But I also laughed hardest at this than any of the others. The concept was the strongest, and I wish she'd listened to Whoopi and Ru. Riffing with the audience, attacking people's fashions as the reason they are going to hell!!! SHE KNOWS FASHION!!! Ru said the same thing for the political debate, why can't Gigi connect the dots on that one? Serving unsalted peanuts with the tag-line "welcome to hell, b*tch" ON MY GOD! I died. "I'll call you Karen from now on!", "Go f*ck yourself, Gary!" "And please... enjoy your stay in Detroit." Oh my goodness, when these jokes landed they stole the show, and she looked SO GOOD in her Nomi Malone curls and white jump suit. [WHOOPI WISDOM - you don't have enough time, so improvise, don't think about it, if you trust your gut, 97% of the time it'll be fine]

BAD REVIEWS FROM THE BIG PINK FURRY BOX THEATRE
"Cook Out With Your Cheeks Out" by Heidi Afrodite. I love the idea, Madea's Big Southern Cook-out feat. the Afrodites. LOVE IT! But I've said repeatedly Heidi can only play Heidi. Madonna was Heidi. Leslie Jones was Heidi. So why did she do a skit that ONLY works if she successfully conveys multiple varied characters brilliantly??? The idea made me smile so much, and Whoopi Goldberg teaching her to play a drunk had me in stitches. But this... was just not the path she should have taken.
"the P in Pageant" by Jaida Essence Hall. Oh boy. To quote Jaida: "chillllllllld". Do I really need to analyze why this failed?

As soon as I saw Heidi's and Jaida's performance, along with Sherry Pie's endless performance, I knew that Jackie would be safe. I really wished that Sherry was called out more for her timing. On top of that, what we saw wasn't all that funny. I didn't remember laughing at her bit once.

Of course, that also happened with Heidi and Jaida. I don't mind bathroom humor, but Jaida's show was so boring, and I got the feeling she just wasn't into it. As for Heidi...........no comment.

COMEDY TROPHY: "Between Two Parents" by Jackie Cox. I think all three did a great job, but the clear concept of Jackie's skit won me over. Even the name, with the visual of two stools with glasses on them for parents. It is a done trick, but it's very effective. I loved the through narrative and the heart and moral coming through at the end. It was believably the type of performance I'd see in a one-woman-show. IN FACT at Edinburgh last year I saw this hilarious one-woman-show called "My Father the Tantric Masseur" and it was basically this same concept, with a sister added in as the third character. It was concise, honest and I loved Jackie's impression of his mother. "What is zissssss?" Thank god she dropped "Drag Race 101" [WHOOPI WISDOM - take yourself out of this stand-up idea]

Jackie Cox's skit was my favorite, not only because it was funny, but because it was so personal. When RuPaul told her "you made us love you", I was so happy for her. The "What is zissss?" comment, combined with the look on her face, was hysterical. It was well done, well timed, funny, and gave us a view into what makes Jackie, Jackie.

CATEGORY IS... THE COLOR PURPLE
TOOT
Crystal Methyd. The idea behind this fills me with joy; it's the Gruffalo meets Trekkie Monster from Avenue Q (which ultimately is a great description of Nick Cave's sound suits). But it needed something to make it slightly more female. A belt to pull in that waste, obnoxiously large monster boobs, something. Super fun though.
Jackie Cox. I didn't get the specific reference to the Purple People Eater (a film starring Shelley Winters), and looking at the inspiration... yeah it was nothing like it. WHAT I DID GET though is some bad-apple, diseased Whoville citizen. I can't think of the specific character, but this definitely was giving me 80s cartoon witch and I loved it.
Jaida Essence Hall. I didn't even make the Guinan connection till they mentioned it, but I loved it. It's was Parisian beauty, it was a different silouette for her, she always looks runway ready and you KNOW you made it herself. So extra kudos. #craftyqueen
BOOT
Heidi Afrodite. The dress is nice. It's a nice purple dress, it's a very nice purple dress in-fact. Assignment done. But it's Top 6 of season 12, wearing a nice purple dress for a "color purple" category won't cut it, especially when it looks suspiciously similar to her "Black Wedding" gown, minus the shoulder piece. I'm not asking her to be a "lewk" queen, but a concept beyond 'pretty dress' isn't a huge ask at this stage.
RUNWAY TROPHY: Gigi Goode. Originally I wasn't going to give a trophy this runway. In my head I felt "no-one slayed it enough to get one" and then I started writing why each outfit had great elements and weakness. And the fact is this had no weaknesses. I got the Scooby Doo reference instantly, it was a clever choice for a purple runway; but she still brought Gigi too it. The tulle for the sleeves, adding the enlarged green buttons and belt, choose green stockings rather than flesh coloured. She took the inspiration and still made it her own. Had anyone else done this, I would have screamed with delight. And that's not fair on Gigi, this was a slam dunk.

Regarding Jackie's look, did she say it was an homage to the Shelley Winters film? I've never heard of that. I assumed it was based on the song from the late 50s.

I was surprised by that choice in song. There are certain songs that you can listen to and think "lip sync challenge", and "Purple Rain" is not one of them. Jaida did her best to work it, and i felt certain that Heidi would go home. Jackie is in the top 5! I am hoping that she's makes it to Top 3, but I won't be surprised if she goes home before them. It's my hope that Sherry Pie goes home first. I hope she has a really bad week and goes home.