While the last season of RuPaul's Drag Race seemed to last 6 years, it's other counterparts from around the globe, spanned from Down Under, the UK, Holland, Canada, Spain and Italia...six seasons in the amount it took the US version to do one season. But were heading back to the US and the werkroom for another season. And it looks to be another extra-long season with 14 queens again. I don't know yet I'll be watching let alone recapping, as the international versions have spoiled me with how quick they roll, and I'll be breaking for the winter for a bit. By this point, is there really something new we haven't seen yet? If I have to see queens rely on death drops yet again, Ill scream. These girls need to watch and learn from their international sisters, who perform and do other moves with their bodies and not rely on so much for the expected death drop. The latest batch of queens are in my opinion much less well known as opposed to seasons past, the way I think it' ought to be...but this season is either going to be very good, or a complete train wreck. I know of some and am very familiar with at least five queens. The queens were Ru-Vealed in a Candyland-esque promo during the holidays. I have here a bit for them, and where I will estimate their chance.
Alyssa Hunter-
Puerto Rico,13th
Alyssa Hunter is one of the most celebrated pageant queens in Puerto Rico and she knows her way around a runway and delivers stunning looks. But I sense an early out of the season for her.
Angeria Paris Van Micheals,
Atlanta. Top 5
A southern belle from Atlanta, and I'm here to tell ya she lights up a room with her charisma, nerve and talent. An old school pageant queen and this bitch can serve fierce fashion and face with a side of country charm, but I don't know about the uniqueness part. She will I'm certain make top 5, but I doubt she'll get the win.
Bosco
Seattle, Top 5
Very laid back and a very talented queen but don't let her laid back grunge vibe fool you; this fiercely competitive queen is all about femme fatale glamour, razor sharp wit and an impressive arsenal of drag tricks.
Daya Betty
Springfield MO, Top 5
I think Daya will be a mid-way queen but will not make top 5. Daya hails from the House of Methyd, as in Crystal Methyd..and this edgy queen at 6ft 4 is serving 80's inspired rockstar realness, but that may be her downfall, if she doesn't switch it up But... Daya is known for crafting incredible looks out of literally- anything.
Deja Skye
Fresno CA, 7 th
Deja is a pastel princess that prides herself on embracing all her curves and swerves, and is known for her very bold colorful drag aesthetic and design skills. She's a real sweetheart and has killer lip sync skills. But I don't see a win.
Jasmine Kennedie
NYC- 8TH
I will be rooting for my girl Jasmine. This ditzy bitch is known for her high energy dancing and bringing her polished drag and the gift of gab to the show. Her personality may be bubbly and fun, but she is drop dead serious about slaying. I will hope she make top 5, but I don't feel she will crack it. I see Jasmine going mid way.
Jorgeous
Nashville TN- 6th
Jorgeous should do well, and make the midway, but I don't see a win for this spicy Latina queen who started drag at 16 and never looked back. She is a natural performer, and she can dance the house down.
June Jambalaya
Los Angeles CA -13th or 14th
June will bring the black girl magic to the show and season and is known for her dance moves, kicks and splits. But at what point is the death drop boring? It's to the point a death drop bores me. It seems every queen and her mother does them now, there not so showstopping anymore. For this reason, I see a very early out.
Kerri Colby
Los Angeles CA - 9th
Kerri is a bodacious queen and is all about beauty, hair and body -ody-ody and hails from the legendary drag House of Colby. She is good, but is there anything new here?
Kornbread "The Snack" Jete
Los Angeles- 11th or 10th
Kornbread is like the Silky 2.0, but only sweet and nice, and funny as hell. She is a powerhouse with a delicious sassy personality. Her show leaves you gooped, gagged and gandered. She has a good heart and does drag for fun, and often leaves her audiences in stiches...but I place her for an early out, as I again think we have seen this schtick already.
Lady Camden
Sacramento CA- Top 5
Lady Camden is another of my girls I must root for and this queen I feel, will make top 5, if not top 3! I'll be highly surprised if she doesn't. Born in the UK and relocated to CA, this professional ballet dancer turned drag queen will take the world and stage with serving class, sass and living the pop princess fantasy. The Lady is very talented when it comes to performing and style and I think will be one of the few to show some wide variety of looks and style.
Maddy Morphosis
Fayetteville AK- 10TH
Now this small-town camp queen is ready to take the stage and is a first for the series. Maddy is a straight male who does drag. Maddy's quirky performances and style, set her apart, but having seen her, don't think it will be enough to place high. But I must add, I don't care what type or who is cast on Drag Race. Drag is Drag. Many of the LGBTQ are upset by a straight guy competing on the show, but yet pressured Ru to showcase more drag backgrounds and styles. And yet, are clamoring for "gay safe spaces" and protecting the LGBTQ community from a straight drag queen on a reality series, but they seem to forget that a bill languishes in the Senate still which affects our actual safe spaces-- jobs and homes free from discrimination. Which you do hear more about? The Equality Act or Maddy Morphosis? If you have opinions about who's cast on a reality show than the Equality Act, you're the "activists" doing the absolute least. Many have a lot to say on a non-issue like casting, on a show which they themselves elevated. It's low hanging fruit for the mentally lazy. It makes me mad that the gays get up in arms over this, and yet so unaware of our own rights that gay communities will run around acting like this entertainment thing is the be-all and end-all of gay rights.
Orion Story
Grand Rapids- 12th
Orion is a retro sex kitten with a campy edge. She is the first queen to represent Michigan, and this beauty brings a smoldering Lana Del Rey energy to her drag and seems eager to share her unique stylings, but I feel this won't be enough. I see another early out for Orion.
Willow Pill
Denver CO- Top 5
I dare say Willow will be top 3 and I will go further and say she and Lady Camden might be the top two. They seem to be the only ones to offer a little something different on this season. Willow is definitely a quirky little pill, and this queen has a wicked sense of humor, twisted, and has a darkly eccentric drag style, not to mention is Yvie Oddly's drag sister, so I would say it's safe to say to expect the unexpected here with this one.
And the winner is.....
What do you think of them? Season 14 premiers on January 7th at 8pm on VH1.
Yes, Willow Pill and Lady Camden are exceptional, as are many others. Daya Betty and Maddy Morphosis scare me a little (but that’s just my personal preference). Do you have a collection of photos from your drag performances? I would love to see them.
ReplyDeleteFrom a purely nonsensical standpoint, being that I am from Sacramento and now livein Camden, I might just be Team Lady Camden from Sacramento.
ReplyDeleteI do believe Lady Camden will be entertaining.
DeleteExcellent post and it will be interesting to see if your predications come to fruition. From what I know of these queens I agree...it will either be very good or very bad. The word that comes to mind is chaotic mess.
ReplyDeleteThey are all very pretty queens but in the in the words of our dear Thorgy Thor: LORD THIS IS GONNA BE A SHITSHOW.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be messy and looong. In my opinion, to make the season feel less dragged out, they should release the first & second premiere episodes on the same day, like what they did with All-Stars 6. The split premiere gets on my nerves. That said I a fan of Lady Camden Bosco and Angeria. I agree with your top five.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope it's at least a good long season? But I still think 10 queens on a season is more enjoyable.
The seasons that had a excellent cast are the ones that should have been stretched out.
Delete10 queens is more than sufficient for a season.
Equal Rights should be for all, not just the chosen ones, end of story. Anyone who says different doesn't understand the word EQUAL (or doesn't want to)!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your top two choices, the nod going to Camden. I love me some controversy, so how great that Ru includes a straight - although - is it done simply to roil the other queens and create a bit of drama? Stay tuned. (You know it is.) My opinion. There are too many challengers. I would like to see six queens really do a damn pageant. Work right to the end. With and against each other. The first few to leave, I always feel had more to offer... Thanks for doing this dear... I love to see what's coming and it's fun to shop and compare. Kizzes.
ReplyDeleteI have long said RuPaul should have never gotten rid of the original format of the first season. We do need fewer queens. We think a lot alike. I'd like to see 6-8 queens like you said perform and do challenges...and bring back the creating right in the werkroom, not all this prefab crap. The first few sometimes are gems...and I think that's why Ru will sometimes throw a curve ball and bring one or two back sometimes.
DeleteYour suggestion is also why I feel I like the international versions better. Not as many queens, closer bonds, more behind the scenes. and I find I root and get invested in all of them.
Lots of glam here!
ReplyDeleteToo soon to venture a guess, but thanks for the heads up. 8PM VH1 January 7 now added to my viewing calendar :-)
ReplyDeleteSo much bright colour! My eyes hurt!
ReplyDeleteI've given up on trying to keep these queens straight. There's just too many for my feeble mind to handle.
ReplyDeleteAnd now there is literally one straight one!!!!
DeleteI didn't see that, Mads. Wow! My eyes have a hard time reading the read print so they skim. Also. for some stupid reason, the title had me humming Sixteen Tons all day. Just two tons off, huh?
DeleteThis feels like a mix between old drag race and modern drag race, could be good. And your right about Maddy. I too heard much bitching about her being a straight man competing on the show from some LGBT people. We as a community have far bigger fish to fry than that. I personally think it's great. If a gay man went to do a straight man competition for something and got on the show, we'd be all happy about it.
ReplyDeleteI agree. If a gay man wanted to break a barrier and go on a straight reality show and couldn't, the LGBTQ would be up in arms. It isn't called RuPaul's LGBTQ Only Drag Show.
DeleteWe have seen non-binary queens, trans queens, afab queens, now a straight-cis male…when will we see the drag KINGS?!? Im sure these queens are talented, but there is nothing here I don't feel we haven't seen already. They all remind me of previous winners already.
ReplyDeleteI probably will skip this season.
It is addictive, but it's good fun, but your right. At this point, I think Rupaul has every different type of queen in her congress...so at this point what is different they are looking for? All these queens remind me of other pass contestants.
DeleteI'm so burnt out of drag race, I have no desire to even watch this season. But I do like the look of Lady Camden, Willow and Kornbread.
ReplyDeleteI will see how I feel, but I don't see me watching this religiously like the others up to this point. This summer and fall was too loaded. But I feel I should to support Lady Camden and Jasime.
DeleteI know I use the word fun and colorful. But I would guess there some type of competition and what does judge look for.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
I have to support Bosco because she's representing Seattle and I think she's funny and I love the eyebrows! It's funny that she's there to "represent slutty and nakedness" because Seattle is such a conservatively dressed area, being that we spend most of the year in a wet and cold climate. Hahaha. Go Bosco!
ReplyDeleteSeattle has produced some of this country's most campy and entertaining drag queens, I can say that. I think Bosco will do very well.
DeleteMaddy is the patriarchy’s worst nightmare and I’m 200% here for it 💖
ReplyDeleteMaddy is on my list of favorites for this season.And not just because of the name!!! I love how she said that sexuality doesn't equate to how you express yourself especially if you are a drag queen and I agree. No matter how masculine a straight man is, most of them have feminine side, whether they open with their femininity or they suppress it due to society's beliefs. Just be you. Drag is freedom of expression.
ReplyDeleteHere here!!!!!
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