By Brett Shaw
C’mon. “Binge Watching with Brett,” let’s get sickening. By this, I mean this column is about to be incredible and glamorous. I’m afraid that some of my terminology may need translations and context for those who have not been consumed by the cultural phenomenon of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
This week’s review will spill the tea on (tell you about) the reality competition that is snatching (amazing) audiences around the world.
Hosted by RuPaul, a drag queen who rose to fame in the 1990s, each season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” brings in nine to 14 sickening (good) drag queens to compete in design, marketing, and performance challenges. One by one, queens are eliminated from the competition to determine who has the charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent to be America’s next drag superstar.
The winner of each challenge receives some prize, while the bottom two contestants face off in the classic drag art of lip-syncing. These lip-sync battles provide some of the most gag-worthy (shocking) moments as queens go over-the-top with death drops (dance moves) and wig reveals (taking off one wig to reveal another) to keep themselves in the competition.
I literally watch Tatiana and Alyssa Edwards perform “Shut Up and Drive” every morning to give me life (inspire me) for the day. Look it up on YouTube.
Viewers form personal connections with the queens through insight to the personalities and drama of the contestants beyond the stage and in the workroom.
Whether it’s a moving story of childhood bullying or Shangela throwing a drink in Mimi’s face during a debate over sugar daddies (boyfriends who buy you things), these reality television moments cause fans to become emotionally invested in the contestants’ drama.
The show’s ninth season opened March 24 and was bigger than ever. Because of the show’s rapidly growing popularity, it has moved from Logo to VH1 in order to reach a larger audience.
Thirteen new queens were welcomed to the RuPaul sisterhood, and although anyone could win, I already have my early front-runners picked: Farrah, Aja, and Sasha. One by one, these queens will go home in a dramatic (and surely emotional) season, leaving their impressions on the fanatical “Drag Race” audience.
Lady Gaga, the gay icon of our generation, made an appearance during the show under the guise of a competing drag queen, which is all that I have been talking about for the past week. The women then competed in a Gaga-inspired fashion challenge, followed by critique and inspiring words from their hero.
Drag is a huge part of gay culture. It brings the community together through shows at bars and pride rallies. For years, drag queens have been a voice for gay rights. Now, drag has been given a mass unifying platform through television.
Worldwide, the gay community rallies around “Drag Race” with viewing parties, internet memes, and online discussions. This revolutionary show is a talk piece among friends and makes the world aware of what was formerly a very obscure art.
Many queens aspire to a part of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and receive mass exposure that launches many drag careers. Iowa City’s own Sasha Belle received the honor of competing in the show’s seventh season.
RuGirls (former contestants) develop loyal fans, sell shirts with their faces plastered on them, and tour gay bars around the world. I once met Detox from Season 5 at Studio 13, 13 S. Linn St., and my obsessed self almost passed out.
Definitely tune in for the upcoming drama and fierceness each Friday at 7 p.m. on VH1, but I also recommend binge-watching previous seasons by any means possible. Tragically, the only official streaming services that carry drag race are Amazon Prime and Logo’s website for certain television providers. Beg your friends for their passwords, catch up on this fabulous show, and maybe even catch some drag shows right here in Iowa City.