RuPaul's Drag Race: Divine Inspiration
April 28, 2015 8:42 AM - Season 7, Episode 9 - Subscribe
After the one-two punch of Snatch Game and Conjoined Queens, the hangover had to come eventually. Despite two seemingly can't-miss elements (Reading Is Fundamental and a John Waters-themed main challenge), the dread specter of another musical/acting "performance" and a catchall runway theme led to an all-over-the-place mess.
I've been thinking about RuPaul's dress with RuPaul on it since last night and now I'm reminded of it again and I'm just so happy.
Speaking of, I don't know how, if John Waters tells you were filthy, you don't just explode.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:53 AM on April 28, 2015 [5 favorites]
Speaking of, I don't know how, if John Waters tells you were filthy, you don't just explode.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:53 AM on April 28, 2015 [5 favorites]
I'm really surprised that Pearl outlasted Fame and that everyone picked her to go home. She's no worse at performance than this season's other wide-eyed beauties, and consistently looks amazing on the runway -- this week everything above the neck was like Betty Draper crossed with Elsa and I adored it. Plus, she came off as an endearing competitor with unexpected things in her head, and she was my sentimental favorite now that we've lost Mrs. Kasha. Bah!
posted by thesmallmachine at 4:19 PM on April 28, 2015
posted by thesmallmachine at 4:19 PM on April 28, 2015
Frankly, that was such a lackluster lip sync that I was totally primed for both queens to sashay away, especially since they brought an eliminated queen back. But alas, stuck with Pearl for at least another week.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 5:50 PM on April 28, 2015
posted by DiscourseMarker at 5:50 PM on April 28, 2015
WHYYYYY is Pearl still in this? It has to be some reason other than what an amazing queen she is, because on looks/makeup skills/fashion alone, Fame had it all over her. No, Fame couldn't lipsynch to save her life, but it's not like Pearl had any great shakes there either.
Ginger and Katya consistently bring their A games, and it's wonderful to watch. The rest of them? I just can't get excited about them. Violet is becoming slightly more charming, but she's still a nonentity, Pearl is...ugh, and Kennedy does just well enough not to get herself eliminated each week.
posted by xingcat at 6:35 PM on April 28, 2015
Ginger and Katya consistently bring their A games, and it's wonderful to watch. The rest of them? I just can't get excited about them. Violet is becoming slightly more charming, but she's still a nonentity, Pearl is...ugh, and Kennedy does just well enough not to get herself eliminated each week.
posted by xingcat at 6:35 PM on April 28, 2015
Seriously, I don't know what Pearl even has to offer. What's her actual schtick? She's not a performer, Fame and Violet are miles ahead as high-fashion beauty queens, and Kennedy is firmly ensconced in the "pageant girl who's surprisingly game for performance challenges" seat. (She ran for that seat on the first day and has had a death grip on it ever since.)
I'm still sore that Fame doing a (skillfully executed and glamorous) plastic surgery theme was counted against her, but Pearl doing the same thing (in a way that wasn't particularly interesting) a few challenges prior was just used as evidence that Fame shouldn't have used an over-familiar idea.
It's going to be a really boring endgame, I think.
posted by thesmallmachine at 7:14 PM on April 28, 2015
I'm still sore that Fame doing a (skillfully executed and glamorous) plastic surgery theme was counted against her, but Pearl doing the same thing (in a way that wasn't particularly interesting) a few challenges prior was just used as evidence that Fame shouldn't have used an over-familiar idea.
It's going to be a really boring endgame, I think.
posted by thesmallmachine at 7:14 PM on April 28, 2015
If for some monstrous reason Katya doesn't make top 3 at this point I am going to go apeshizzle. They better frigging give her another challenge win pronto.
I liked Fame, somewhat begrudgingly. It occurs to me that there's something a little Shannel-like about her, in that she has this sort of odd mixture of laced-up perfectionist and total doofball. Like girl, that's not how you use "avail!"
Anyway, yeah, I can't argue with this elimination. Kennedy's calling-out of Fame was hilariously apt. The struggle was, indeed, real.
posted by en forme de poire at 11:51 PM on April 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
I liked Fame, somewhat begrudgingly. It occurs to me that there's something a little Shannel-like about her, in that she has this sort of odd mixture of laced-up perfectionist and total doofball. Like girl, that's not how you use "avail!"
Anyway, yeah, I can't argue with this elimination. Kennedy's calling-out of Fame was hilariously apt. The struggle was, indeed, real.
posted by en forme de poire at 11:51 PM on April 28, 2015 [2 favorites]
I will also concede that I finally like Ginger.
posted by en forme de poire at 11:52 PM on April 28, 2015
posted by en forme de poire at 11:52 PM on April 28, 2015
Frankly, that was such a lackluster lip sync that I was totally primed for both queens to sashay away
I know! That was the least enthusiastic lip syncing battle, with the minor exception of the dueling middle fingers. But Fame was even more dead on her feet than Pearl, so if anyone was leaving based on that performance, it had to be Fame.
The worst thing was that Pearl had more energy while dancing to the outro music than when she lip synced for her life. What the hell, girl?
I think if some more of the Chicken Farmer realness could have come out of Fame as Fame, she would have fared better, because I really liked who she was out of drag more than in, where she was pretty forgettable. Unfortunately, I feel that way about a number of the queens from this season, so that's no shade on Fame alone.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:39 AM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I know! That was the least enthusiastic lip syncing battle, with the minor exception of the dueling middle fingers. But Fame was even more dead on her feet than Pearl, so if anyone was leaving based on that performance, it had to be Fame.
The worst thing was that Pearl had more energy while dancing to the outro music than when she lip synced for her life. What the hell, girl?
I think if some more of the Chicken Farmer realness could have come out of Fame as Fame, she would have fared better, because I really liked who she was out of drag more than in, where she was pretty forgettable. Unfortunately, I feel that way about a number of the queens from this season, so that's no shade on Fame alone.
posted by filthy light thief at 7:39 AM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have not been a regular Drag Race viewer until this year, and I felt the exact same way (that most of the contestants are more interesting out of drag than in) and was wondering if that was the norm. It makes sense that it sounds like it is not because I can't imagine the show would be as successful as it has been if that was true.
As for who I'm rooting for, I'm pretty much president of the ABP (Anybody But Pearl) Club.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:50 AM on April 29, 2015
As for who I'm rooting for, I'm pretty much president of the ABP (Anybody But Pearl) Club.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 7:50 AM on April 29, 2015
I finally watched an "Untucked" (I'm so sad it's not on immediately after the show...it lent such depth to the show, especially in this new, more raw format) and Pearl really thinks she's some sort of ambassador to...someone. She kept insisting that she's "inspiring" to "so many people," and all I can think is that she associates Instagram likes with inspiration or something.
Ginger really can dish out the insults in "Untucked," but so far, it's not on any sort of mean level that I can see. I do love Katya's never-ending loopiness and ability to make fun of herself.
posted by xingcat at 10:26 AM on April 29, 2015
Ginger really can dish out the insults in "Untucked," but so far, it's not on any sort of mean level that I can see. I do love Katya's never-ending loopiness and ability to make fun of herself.
posted by xingcat at 10:26 AM on April 29, 2015
I've been in love with Ginger since Episode 1, and I'm so glad they had an episode so tailor-made for her. Loved her tale of telling her grandmother Pink Flamingoes was a children's movie so she'd take her to see it!
I was also so very happy that all the twentysomething queens knew who John Waters and Divine were, and knew how to execute Divine makeup (even the ones who can't act their way out of a wet paper sack of dog poop).
Like so many others, I'm surprised that Pearl has made it this far. (So help me, she makes me miss Max.) It seemed clear to me that Pearl was expecting to LSFYL and dressed more for that than for the runway challenge. Her black-and-white harajuku outfit was absolutely adorable, and perfectly suited to the song and dance. But does that really make up for the fact that she obviously didn't learn at least half the lyrics to "Really Don't Care?" You've got to get really good at rhubarb if you're going to use it 75% of the time.
I like Fame (although I sometimes like her better offstage than on if I'm keeping it 100) but I'm not certain she's quite as on the ball as some of the other girls. I don't think she considered LSFYL as a possibility, or how her runway costume would limit her if she had to do it. I was expecting her to rip it off, but it's possible she didn't put breakaway fasteners on it, didn't wear something under it she could perform in, or just didn't think of doing it.
John Waters just gets more and more sweet and gracious as time goes by, doesn't he? I was seized this week by an uncontrollable desire to see him in the title role of an Off-Broadway production of Being John Malkovich.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:38 AM on April 29, 2015
I was also so very happy that all the twentysomething queens knew who John Waters and Divine were, and knew how to execute Divine makeup (even the ones who can't act their way out of a wet paper sack of dog poop).
Like so many others, I'm surprised that Pearl has made it this far. (So help me, she makes me miss Max.) It seemed clear to me that Pearl was expecting to LSFYL and dressed more for that than for the runway challenge. Her black-and-white harajuku outfit was absolutely adorable, and perfectly suited to the song and dance. But does that really make up for the fact that she obviously didn't learn at least half the lyrics to "Really Don't Care?" You've got to get really good at rhubarb if you're going to use it 75% of the time.
I like Fame (although I sometimes like her better offstage than on if I'm keeping it 100) but I'm not certain she's quite as on the ball as some of the other girls. I don't think she considered LSFYL as a possibility, or how her runway costume would limit her if she had to do it. I was expecting her to rip it off, but it's possible she didn't put breakaway fasteners on it, didn't wear something under it she could perform in, or just didn't think of doing it.
John Waters just gets more and more sweet and gracious as time goes by, doesn't he? I was seized this week by an uncontrollable desire to see him in the title role of an Off-Broadway production of Being John Malkovich.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:38 AM on April 29, 2015
It occurs to me that there's something a little Shannel-like about her, in that she has this sort of odd mixture of laced-up perfectionist and total doofball.
Oh, man, I thought I was the only one who looked at Fame and kind of saw Shannel (who is possibly my favorite RPDR queen of all time, so that's praise for both of them.)
posted by thesmallmachine at 1:22 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Oh, man, I thought I was the only one who looked at Fame and kind of saw Shannel (who is possibly my favorite RPDR queen of all time, so that's praise for both of them.)
posted by thesmallmachine at 1:22 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]
Geez louise, I really don't understand all the Pearl hate. Is she my favorite queen evar? No, of course not. She lands squarely in the middle for me. But the producers stuck her with a really obnoxious storyline in the most over-produced season ever. Barely any workworm banter, just one individual challenge, heavily manipulated talking head bites (again, this season they make queens wear the exact same outfit every time, so every clip is usable for any episode. Need an eyeroll? The producers have one!), the same acting challenges over and over, canned pre-packaged runway themes hastily tacked on to each episode, a queen getting eliminated for the sole reason of bringing her back later....I mean, I feel like I barely know these queens at all. Pearl seems pretty darn likable to be honest, if you cut through all the producer shady editing murk. She's just another queen who does her thing, who isn't mean, who has a defined aesthetic, and who got handed a storyline that basically demanded all the judges constantly dump on her. No wonder she got frustrated enough to leave the work room. And when she finally broke under the pressure it was like "ok, kid, you did good, we got what we needed, we'll lighten up on ya. Here, you can win this week."
I really can't believe I'm burning out on this show (I always said if I ever wrote a PhD dissertation it would be on this show. That's how complex and revolutionary and fascinating I find it.) but Season 7 just has rung really, really empty for me. The time has come....for this show to lip-syyyyyync for. its. life.
posted by missmary6 at 8:19 PM on April 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
I really can't believe I'm burning out on this show (I always said if I ever wrote a PhD dissertation it would be on this show. That's how complex and revolutionary and fascinating I find it.) but Season 7 just has rung really, really empty for me. The time has come....for this show to lip-syyyyyync for. its. life.
posted by missmary6 at 8:19 PM on April 29, 2015 [3 favorites]
I wish I could explain why I'm so anxious for Katya. Something in the editing tells me she's going home next week, or at least not making top 3. But in Untucked all the other queens said they'd be happy with Katya winning the whole thing -- how many queens hear that? She's possibly my favorite from any season, which is probably why I'm nervous.
posted by argybarg at 7:33 PM on May 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by argybarg at 7:33 PM on May 3, 2015 [1 favorite]
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posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:11 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]