RuPaul's Drag Race: Sissy That Walk

May 7, 2014 10:47 AM - Season 6, Episode 12

The final four queens star in RuPaul's video for "Sissy That Walk" and are whittled down to the top three for the live reunion/finale, coming up in two weeks.

So much going on! There's group choreography, freestyle lip-synch on treadmills, two comic biopic scenes (Ingénue Sissy and Late Stardom Sissy), the traditional one-on-one lunch date with Ru, the final pitch for Why I Should Win, and a four-way Lip Synch for Your Life.

posted by psoas (20 comments total)

I'm so glad you did a Drag Race post! I'm still bummed about DeLa leaving last week, especially since she won't get to be in the Sissy That Walk video. I'm from Seattle and have had the pleasure of seeing her live several times, where she was absolutely effervescent. I did like that the editors of the show gave Darienne a chance to seem a little more human in this episode, because I know she's faced a lot of hateful backlash on the internet. Maybe this will help. I haven't especially enjoyed her in several episodes, but I liked her this week. And I have to admit, I'd give about anything to be able to do makeup like her. Have there been any other Drag Race contestants who could do makeup better? Well, besides Raja obviously, but that was her profession.

It was hard to evaluate how anyone did on the challenges this week. I don't know that I think anyone did any better or worse than anyone else. The first challenge was just embarrassing and I hated watching it. I liked all the final runway looks, especially the colors of Bianca's & Darienne's dresses. Mildly bummed that Courtney didn't do something over the top with that big crazy wig she was waving around earlier, though.
posted by diamondsky at 10:58 AM on May 7, 2014

Did anyone notice that they seemed to get rid of the "You've Got She-Mail" line?

I love the "lunch with Mama Ru" bit so much--I think it's heartfelt while still being a hilarious parody of the phony "sit down and tell us your sorrows" segments on shows like Top Model.

Darienne's makeup skills were flawless, I would give anything to do makeup like her too. I'm not sure that any other contestants on the show have consistently done straight-up glamour as well as she did. Although I have to say, as entertaining as I think this cast is, I don't think any of them had memorable runway looks this season.

I think Bianca should win if for no other reason that I now want to scream CALM DOWN BEYONCE at everyone.
posted by inertia at 12:20 PM on May 7, 2014

Oh my god, my people are here!

I think this Finale 3 is terrifically talented, and very nice, and that will make for a kind of dull finale. I think the only thing that could cause a ruckus is if Adore is given the title over Bianca, only because Bianca is head-and-shoulders above most every queen who has been on this show before. But I can see Ru giving it to Adore for potential alone, and sending Bianca to All-Stars to win a la Chad.
posted by xingcat at 12:33 PM on May 7, 2014

Did anyone notice that they seemed to get rid of the "You've Got She-Mail" line?

They started editing that out a few weeks ago in response to sustained protest from the trans community regarding use of "she-mail" and "shemale" on the show.
posted by psoas at 1:20 PM on May 7, 2014

If that LSFYL had gone on for five more seconds, Courtney's eyeballs would have bugged right out of their sockets and rolled off the stage.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:56 PM on May 7, 2014

Also, I can see, "It bears repeating" turning into one of the show's catchphrases.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 1:57 PM on May 7, 2014

Did anyone notice that they seemed to get rid of the "You've Got She-Mail" line?

They started editing that out a few weeks ago in response to sustained protest from the trans community regarding use of "she-mail" and "shemale" on the show.

It seemed to me to line up with the Chaz Bono guest spot. Which would make sense.

Darienne had amazing makeup skills and gave good lip sync, but even in those areas she showed very little range. I do feel that DeLa should have outlasted her... but I think DeLa will get more out of the show in the long run. Ideally, I'd have had Darienne sashay last week and Courtney this week.

I think Adore is the only one with the potential to eventually approach Ru's level of fame & acclaim. I love Bianca, but she's already at the top of her game. Adore isn't there yet, but I feel like I can see where she could go with some additional work and some better materials to work with. I'd kind of like to see her win to see what she could do with the resources... but I won't be able to find it in myself to complain if Bianca wins, either.
posted by polymath at 11:29 PM on May 7, 2014

One of the reasons I think Bianca should win is that this season is so much better because she was there. She's hilarious, but she also managed to reign in some of the other queens. It seems like Trinity and Adore would have not done so well, or at the very least have been more whiny and annoying, if they didn't have Bianca around to tell them to quit whining and pull themselves together.

I'm glad they stopped using the "she-mail" line, although I'm a tiny bit surprised that they didn't address it directly. I figured if any show was going to admit that they had offended people and apologize, it would be this one.

Also can we discuss Bianca's wig line? It's so perfect I find it baffling. I know nothing about lace fronts though.
posted by inertia at 7:50 AM on May 8, 2014

If Bianca doesn't win, she's a shoo-in for Miss Congeniality, which would be a hoot for someone who self-defines as an insult comic.

Although I adore Adore (I want a recording of her talking-head "Elegant?!?" as if to say, "Have they even MET me!??" from the bridal episode, as a ringtone) I just can;t see the title going to someone so green, no matter how much raw talent is there.

So, it's down to Bianca and Courtney in my mind. Not counting the All-Stars (which I consider more of an exhibition game), the title's gone three times to Pretty (or skilled with the brush and needle) but Boring, and twice to Weird but Entertaining. For my money, Courtney falls in the former group and Bianca in the latter, so it could really go either way.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 8:11 AM on May 8, 2014

I'm a tiny bit surprised that they didn't address it directly.

Logo made a statement:

“We wanted to thank the community for sharing their concerns around a recent segment and the use of the term ‘she-mail’ on Drag Race,” Logo’s statement reads. “Logo has pulled the episode from all of our platforms and that challenge will not appear again. Furthermore, we are removing the ‘You've got she-mail’ intro from new episodes of the series. We did not intend to cause any offense, but in retrospect we realize that it was insensitive. We sincerely apologize.”

Which seems like a pretty solid apology to me. I have to confess that the "you've got she-mail" line always got a cackle from me, but I think cutting it was the right thing to do -- I can get lots of cackles from lots of different sources, you know? I also found the segment they mention really uncomfortable.

For me, Adore turned the corner in the Snatch Game, and more recent episodes have made it clear that while her drag skills are definitely those of a young (if talented) queen, she is a top shelf actor and performer. I agree it's probably Bianca for the win, but I will be a tiny bit sad to see Adore lose.
posted by KathrynT at 8:32 AM on May 8, 2014 [2 favorites]

I agree, KathrynT, although I got a chuckle out of it, and drag is definitely an art form that trades in offensive, pulling it was the right thing to do.

I still don't understand why Logo hasn't made Snatch Game it's own show. How great would Snatch Game episodes be with Adore, Bianca, Pandora, Alaska, Jinxx Monsoon, Sharon Needles, and DeLa?
posted by inertia at 10:22 AM on May 8, 2014 [2 favorites]

I still don't understand why Logo hasn't made Snatch Game it's own show.

First of all, awesome.

But what I don't get is: how is it that these queens end up on this show without having any idea what to do for the Snatch Game? Have they not seen the show before? I would have thought that you'd start working on your Snatch Game concept the instant you get that acceptance letter.

also how is it possible that nobody's done Kathy Griffin yet
posted by KathrynT at 10:34 AM on May 8, 2014

I still don't understand why Logo hasn't made Snatch Game it's own show. How great would Snatch Game episodes be with Adore, Bianca, Pandora, Alaska, Jinxx Monsoon, Sharon Needles, and DeLa?

I would pay cash money for webisodes of Snatch Game, unedited, without all the chaff queens.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 10:45 AM on May 8, 2014

Nthing a Snatch Game full series.

My Drag Race watching buddy and I have discussed how different the landscape of this season would look if Adore had a Courtney budget. Which led to our brainstorming that each queen should meet with designer to have 3 custom gowns made before the show so that the competition didn't fall into the trap of queens lasting too long or not long enough based entirely on what their IRL budgets can afford. It seems like a lot of the plus-sized queens especially get criticized for their wardrobe choices, when they are perhaps at a greater disadvantage for having fewer/uglier off-the-rack options available. (I'm thinking of Latrice and her "Rent-A-Center couch" ensemble.) I'd love to see the playing field leveled a bit, and I feel like the wardrobe budget issue has been especially obvious this season with Courtney, who obviously has tons of custom pieces, and Adore, who obviously does not.
posted by joan cusack the second at 11:04 AM on May 8, 2014 [3 favorites]

joan cusack the second, that's an awesome idea! Or perhaps, it could be some kind of spin-off of the show, starring Chris March (from Project Runway) as he deals with the outrageous demands of his drag queen contestant clientele. Maybe with appearances from guest designers/costumers Heatherette, Ivy Winters, or...Bianca Del Rio!

Seriously, why am I not in charge of programming, LOGO? WHY.
posted by inertia at 11:35 AM on May 8, 2014 [3 favorites]

starring Chris March (from Project Runway)

That idea, inertia, is money IN THE BANK. Hedda Lettuce could be a judge! Ivy Winters could be the Tim Gunn!
posted by joan cusack the second at 11:47 AM on May 8, 2014 [1 favorite]

I so wish Hedda Lettuce would go on Drag Race--although I think she stated once she is unwilling to be humiliated, which is definitely part of the game.

Or I wish Logo would give her a talk show. Like The View, except with drag queens and not horrible.
posted by inertia at 6:56 AM on May 9, 2014

This season has been one of my least favorites, as much as I like Bianca and think the Adore storyline is cute. That said, I would pay so much money for Logo to have more interesting original programming, and maybe they could have more than the 3 commercials I'm SO sick of.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 7:45 AM on May 9, 2014 [1 favorite]

I dunno; there are challenges where coming in with a large, expensive wardrobe makes the difference, and challenges where it doesn't. Look how far Adore has come without one. Yes, Bianca did loan her a corset or waist cincher, but that's not because Adore couldn't possibly have afforded one. I got a perfectly good Squeem on eBay for $30.00, and poor but resourceful queens have been known to cinch with duct tape when all else fails. As often as not, those sorts of things are more about thinking, studying your craft, knowing what's going on in the field (even if you haven't done it yourself) and being creative and observant than about what you have.

For the most part (some seasons more than others, obnov), I think they do a fairly decent job of varying the challenges. The queens who do well are the ones who are game and make a good effort with what skills and equipment they do have instead of throwing their hands up and saying, "I just don't do X."

That doesn't mean I wouldn't LOVE to see a spinoff show about costuming the queens. It would combine two of my mostest favoritest things. I'm just not sure it's needed to level the field, or if it would have that effect.

DISCLAIMERS: Yes, it's been clear in some seaons that the judges have favorites who can do no wrong and unfavorites who can do nothing right in their eyes. And, you know that any realty show contest is as much scripted drama as it is meritocracy.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 9:38 AM on May 9, 2014 [1 favorite]

Hmm... I think maybe the reason no one has done Kathy Griffin yet is that while she's a riot, seeing someone slip into that character isn't that funny in and of itself. She's more comedian than character, so i think doing her would be really difficult for someone who isn't as quick as Bianca. It seems like the people who have done well pick characters that have you laughing as soon as you see they've nailed the look and the voice (Little Edie, Judge Judy, Anna Nicole Smith, Britney Spears, Lady Bunny, etc.)

I would love to see someone pull out Liza Minelli or Joan Rivers. Come to think of it, why haven't they been guest judges yet?
posted by inertia at 10:26 AM on May 9, 2014