I’m utterly obsessed with Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Since we got Stan I’ve re-watched every season, much to the irritation of Ollie who finds the vivacious banter a little grating after listening for 8hrs straight. If you haven’t watched this show, you need to and here’s why….
First, the queen chat is so very entertaining; they’re quick, cutting and wickedly funny. They speak in bespoke drag slang and have a fab vocab of funny words and mischievous sayings. My favourite; fishy, a word used to describe a queen who is feminine and pretty, and biologically resembles a real female bitty. But really it’s all in their impeccable delivery, there are a thousand ways to say hello, but only one way to say Hiiiiieeee.
Each season the crew of queens is also ridiculously talented. They create gorgeous gowns, colourful costumes, and stitch all their shit from scratch. They’re killer creative and have an amazing eye for aesthetics. They’re fierce fashionistas; down with designers and up with the trends. Also their commitment to their craft is unparalleled; no matter what the show must go on (even if it means hot glue gunning your getup to your bare skin). Their skills stretch beyond sewing, they’re multifaceted entertainers; singers, dancers, musicians, stand-up comedians. Hard-core gymnasts that can land a jump split of stage, and twerk for days. They fully commit to a stunt, bearing no fear for the junk in their trunks.
Speaking of junk….Oh Pit Crewwww. This group of well hung gents participate in various challenges throughout the show, sure it’s a little added eye candy, but I really get my kicks from watching the queens transfixed on the dicks. They make all kind of lewd and inappropriate comments; and to be honest it’s wholly refreshing to see a grown man be treated like a piece of meat.
It’s also really interesting to see the contestants in their boy style civvies transform into glamorous queens. There’s wig styling, dick tucking and Kardashian-esque contouring. Their makeup is like war paint; every lick of mascara or layer of concealer gives them strength, a fierce exterior, an unshakeable persona. They’re also really fucking good at it, if only I could make a pair of falsies and winged eyeliner look that good.
Every season I manage to form a crush on a Pearl or Alaska; absolute dream boats who can look equally stunning as man or woman. Drag Race removes gender from the equation, people are beautiful in any which way.
Which I guess brings me to my final point, beyond all the sequins and sissy that walks, there are some really poignant and powerful moments. Ru Paul has created something big, an outlet for these individuals who have all faced very real and painful adversity. The contestants recount the struggles of coming out, times they’ve experienced discrimination and gay-hate. In these moments you are privy to raw human emotion, you feel their pain, sadness and vulnerably.
Mumma Ru always knows what to say; she empathises with each contestant and you can feel her warmth, but then she asks for something more, for strength. She tells them to strive above and you can see in that moment Ru has saved them, and that’s pretty bloody amazing. Discussing how great Ru is as an individual would take a blog in itself. I love everything about him from his witty one liners to his profound pearls of wisdom, from his funny way of laughing to how he says “lip sync FOR…YOUR…LIFE…!” He’s my idol.
Now it’s time to sashay away. Love you Mumma Ru.