RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race: Jersey Justice

January 4, 2019 8:04 PM - Season 4, Episode 4

The queens improv cases on “Jersey Justice”, a courtroom show with judge Michelle Visage.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero (18 comments total)

This episode gave me so many feelings! I’m so mad Latrice is gone even though the cut seemed justified. She lost her spark over the last episode or two, and that makes me sad. I didn’t care for the challenge that much- it seemed underdeveloped and I couldn’t really tell the difference between the winning and losing skits. And to do another comedy challenge the week after Snatch Game? It’s gonna be another “comedy queen” winning the crown. Yawn. I want to see a variety of queens win!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:34 PM on January 5, 2019

I was also sad to see Latrice go, but it was definitely the right decision. Monet has more to give. You know where I want to see Latrice? On the judges panel.
posted by ocherdraco at 7:49 PM on January 5, 2019 [3 favorites]

Yeah it so sucked to see Monique have to be the one to eliminate Latrice - my second favourite eliminating my favourite. But it was the right decision; the younger queens seem to be running circles around Latrice, who seemed like her heart wasn't as in it as it could have been. Even the departing words seemed to be missing that personality.

I was surprised at Trinity not doing so well this challenge. She's normally great at stuff like this.

I really kind of feel like we're being set up for a Valentina win. It would be the best for the series if she did, as she's got the most ridiculously vocal fanbase, rivalling maybe only Trixie's, and look who won last time...
posted by urbanlenny at 7:57 PM on January 5, 2019

I hope Villain-tina doesn't win, because I do not want her further promoted as an outstanding, exemplary queen, based on my limited views of her on Drag Race and now on All-Stars. I get it, people often believe in themselves, but her tantrum over her criticism when she was safe? No, girl, that is not your time to be consoled.

Somehow that didn't come up in The Pit Stop with Trixie Mattel and Kim Chi (as a teddy bear, in the best/spookiest way!) or the Extra Lap Recap, so I'll float a conspiracy theory that Valentina's "villain edit" is light enough that she could take it this time.

But I think Trinity has been doing well so far, and according to Trixie, she's been looking to win this for a while.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:11 PM on January 5, 2019 [2 favorites]

Latriiiiiiice. Oof. It's so hard to say, but she's been mostly invisible this season. Monet will also go soon. I really like her, but she just never manages to execute and perform the way the other girls can, both on her season and this one. She's doing better, but she's not a winner in this talented crowd.

I just don't get Valentina, you guys. I should listen to that podcast ep that was linked previously and recommended. However, that runway look was AMAZE. Seems like the internet is divided on it, with people arguing its high fashion homage ain't enough to make it well-done.
posted by missmary6 at 10:06 AM on January 6, 2019

This was sad, more because Latrice was so underperforming than that she was cut. I feel her on the "I'm beloved and have been doing this forever so I deserve to stay", but that would be a better look if someone said it about her.

Conspiracy theory: Manila threw the lip sync, because she knew the right call was sending Latrice home but didn't want to do it. She also did a lot of theatrical crying without shedding any actual tears, so I think she knows Latrice going benefits her as the only other "elder" queen.

My new final three: Trinity, Monique, Naomi.
posted by donnagirl at 11:09 AM on January 6, 2019

Conspiracy theory: Manila threw the lip sync, because she knew the right call was sending Latrice home but didn't want to do it.

Ooh, yes, I would subscribe to your newsletter.

Naomi is the dark horse in the competition. She has been in the top every week so far. I REALLY like Trinity but another blonde white (presenting, in Trixie's case, as she's Indigenous) skinny drag queen doesn't need to win All Stars.

Seasons 2 and 3 of All Stars each had an episode where someone returned to the competition. Latrice could still come back.
posted by urbanlenny at 2:54 PM on January 6, 2019 [2 favorites]

I'm pretty sure Valentina's outburst during deliberation was at least 40% ironic and was intended to lighten what was a pretty dark mood in the workroom. Anyway, whatever, I love her this season. She's such an old-school diva and I love that she is eccentric and ambiguous and totally method.

Monique deserved the win here since she was really the only person that made me feel at ease watching her. I do think the team of three were at a real disadvantage, though, because they had to find room for a whole other character within a pretty constrained Jersey stereotype. When your characters have to all be so similar, it starts to feel really monotonous for the audience.

I kind of agree with the lipstick decision, I guess, since I do agree Latrice wasn't standing out enough. Buuuut on the other hand even as someone who likes Monet, she has been seriously underwhelming so far. Except for that one challenge win, she's underperformed even in areas where you would think she'd excel (singing and comedy!). And I think Monet was very lucky to be safe in Snatch Game, especially over Latrice whom I thought actually did okay given that she was being terrorized by a wild Gia the whole time. My hope is that Latrice gets a chance to return to the competition and show the kids what's up.

Also I'm really hoping the producers are saving Naomi's storyline for later, because man are they sleeping on her right now. That said, I'm not sure I can see them crowning her, because she hasn't (to my knowledge at least) built a brand outside of Drag Race the way that Alaska, Trixie, or Valentina have.
posted by en forme de poire at 5:24 PM on January 6, 2019 [3 favorites]

I have been thinking about this and it feels like Latrice is an All Star Drag Queen but she is not a "RuPaul's Drag Race All Star," if that makes sense. I feel the same way about Ben De La Creme. She may have become a star because of RPDR, but her drag is on its own level.

I may just be saying that to make myself feel better! I love Latrice. Season 4 was when I started watching the show, and she was always my favorite. My husband just started watching with me recently and he didn't get her appeal.
posted by apricot at 10:49 AM on January 7, 2019 [1 favorite]

PS: This is apparently Manila's original look for the Curves and Swerves runway, but Ru made her change it. I love it!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUaPvenYcj/
posted by apricot at 10:50 AM on January 7, 2019 [9 favorites]

We stan a menstruating fashion goddess.

(Also, THAT was across the line for Ru? So fucking weird, especially when the message was so positive. Seems a lot more like gay men being shitty about women's bodies than actual concern tbh.)
posted by en forme de poire at 11:05 AM on January 7, 2019 [5 favorites]

Rumor has it there's a "comeback queen" arc on the way, and Latrice does return.

I can't help but think Ru / producers will bow to the pressure and do all they can to hand Valentina the crown.

Personally Manila is the only game in town... smart, savvy, funny... I just really want her to win.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 11:36 AM on January 7, 2019

My boyfriend is an occasional drag race watcher - mostly of seasons 6 to present and he doesn't get Latrice either. He was a huge fan of Ben de la Creme in AS3 and now really likes Manila.

Manila's pad dress is pretty beautiful. Definitely Ru being a gay man squicked about women's bodies (or maybe, more charitably, VH1 enforcing The Patriarchy), considering all of the other shit that has been allowed to fly on the show.
posted by urbanlenny at 1:09 PM on January 7, 2019 [1 favorite]

According to a recap Miz Cracker did, production said that if Manila went down the runway in the period dress they would blur her (!). WTF VH1.
posted by en forme de poire at 12:29 PM on January 10, 2019 [1 favorite]

(not to abuse the edit window: the recap featured an interview with Monique Heart, which is where the tea originated)
posted by en forme de poire at 12:30 PM on January 10, 2019

if Manila went down the runway in the period dress they would blur her (!). WTF VH1.

The dress didn't even have period blood ON the pad. It was just a red dress. They show pads on TV in commercials! That is ridic.

I saw a tweet from Adore Delano about it and she named it as the day that drag officially went mainstream. There's a good thread of tweets there.
posted by urbanlenny at 11:19 AM on January 11, 2019

Hey, no spoilers please! Rumoured or no.

I remember watching a Couples for Cash video with Latrice and her then fiance Christopher a few years back. Not sure if it was pre- or post- All Stars 1, but I vividly remember thinking that Latrice had gone from Miss Congeniality to Miss Kind-Of-Up-Herself.

I mean, not that she hasn't got a lot of which to be proud, but when she first arrived on the scene one the reasons I loved her was that she was so grounded (5Gs!) in comparison to some of the more self-involved queens.

Both this episode and last she seemed to think the maxi challenge was somehow beneath her. Her confidence going into the runway today whiffed of Jinxx's Eau de Delusion.
posted by doornoise at 8:21 AM on January 13, 2019

And, yes, also sad that we were denied Manila's maxi pad dress on the runway. "Iconic" gets bandied around, but I think this would have been huge - and provoked some valuable debates outside of the RPDR scene too.
posted by doornoise at 8:25 AM on January 13, 2019 [1 favorite]