RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race: Revenge Of The Queens
September 22, 2016 5:58 PM - Season 2, Episode 5 - Subscribe
The queens must perform a live stand-up comedy act in front of an audience of judgmental drag queens. Ross Mathews returns to guest judge. (synopsis from logotv.com)
Goodbye, PhiPhi. She went on a bizarre twitter rant this afternoon, and doesn't seem to be in a good place mentally right now, so I'll just say it's probably for the best that she left. Hopefully she can let it go and move on with her life.
Great episode though, way up there, maybe one of the best? Tatianna is really getting that Rudemption and I hope it does big things for her career.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 7:59 PM on September 22, 2016 [2 favorites]
Great episode though, way up there, maybe one of the best? Tatianna is really getting that Rudemption and I hope it does big things for her career.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 7:59 PM on September 22, 2016 [2 favorites]
I never thought I'd see the day when Coco Montrese gave zero fucks about Alyssa Edwards drama.
posted by Pizzarina Sbarro at 11:19 PM on September 22, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Pizzarina Sbarro at 11:19 PM on September 22, 2016 [7 favorites]
This Vulture interview with Phi Phi was... interesting.
posted by Pizzarina Sbarro at 1:44 AM on September 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Pizzarina Sbarro at 1:44 AM on September 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
Caught it this morning & while I love that Tatianna & Alyssa are back, I wish that Ginger could have joined them. She is a delight - maybe it is time to actually finish watching her season because . ugh .. I couldn't with all the look queens.
As for Phi Phi .. sure producers can edit stuff together but those words needed to come out of her mouth first.
This is really Alaska's to lose, right?
posted by kariebookish at 2:18 AM on September 23, 2016
As for Phi Phi .. sure producers can edit stuff together but those words needed to come out of her mouth first.
This is really Alaska's to lose, right?
posted by kariebookish at 2:18 AM on September 23, 2016
The drama! on top of drama! on top of drama! was amazingly satisfying, and I have new respect for Alyssa - she's flighty, but man can she pinpoint others' bullshit without being ugly.
Also, aren't there only three episodes left? And six queens to hack down? Hmmmm.
posted by psoas at 8:42 AM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
Also, aren't there only three episodes left? And six queens to hack down? Hmmmm.
posted by psoas at 8:42 AM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
Finally read that Vulture interview and... I am not a Phi Phi fan, but I fully believe when she says that RuPaul doesn't care a whit about the competitors. I listened to Ru's podcast for a while and he pretty much never even recognized the names of past contestants when they were brought up, let alone whatever they were known for. (Surprisingly, Michelle comes across as very nurturing and seems to have a great relationship with pretty much all of them, in large part I s'pose because they tour together.)
posted by psoas at 11:16 AM on September 23, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by psoas at 11:16 AM on September 23, 2016 [5 favorites]
The comedy challenges usually aren't very good, but this was mostly an exception. Roxxxy bombing was expected (but she looked good doing it!), while Katya and Ginger would have won in a normal season.
I am so happy Alyssa and Tatianna are back. Tatianna isn't great off the cuff (Snatch Game) but is solid with a little time to prepare. If Adore's exit meant there was room for both of them to return, then it worked for the best.
I think PhiPhi doesn't have enough self-awareness to understand how nasty she comes off. Like, that final line about selling the trophy; Bianca or Raven or other queens could have made it work as a joke, but out of PhiPhi's mouth it's so bitter. Leaving drag to pursue a singing career as a man seems a bit...um...optimistic. I don't dislike him and I hope he finds a way to feel better about himself, but I am looking forward to the remaining episodes to be more enjoyable without her negativity.
posted by riruro at 11:37 AM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
I am so happy Alyssa and Tatianna are back. Tatianna isn't great off the cuff (Snatch Game) but is solid with a little time to prepare. If Adore's exit meant there was room for both of them to return, then it worked for the best.
I think PhiPhi doesn't have enough self-awareness to understand how nasty she comes off. Like, that final line about selling the trophy; Bianca or Raven or other queens could have made it work as a joke, but out of PhiPhi's mouth it's so bitter. Leaving drag to pursue a singing career as a man seems a bit...um...optimistic. I don't dislike him and I hope he finds a way to feel better about himself, but I am looking forward to the remaining episodes to be more enjoyable without her negativity.
posted by riruro at 11:37 AM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
My own (thankfully brief, fleeting) brush with reality television is enough for me to know that every seemingly impromptu moment is staged and half of the "off-the-cuff" comments come from loaded questions off-camera.
But as you said, riruro, Phi Phi doesn't seem to get how she's coming off. It's a shame--drag is show business, and to survive in show business, you really need to be careful about your image. For her own personal wellbeing, I'd hope Phi Phi would have understood this in time for her second season of Drag Race. If someone off-camera keeps goading you with loaded questions about one of your competitors, you've gotta know enough to stay tight-lipped, or at least own your own comments.
I am not a Phi Phi fan, but I fully believe when she says that RuPaul doesn't care a whit about the competitors.
That may very well be true, psoas... though to be fair, how many times have we heard "This isn't RuPaul's School for Girls?"
posted by duffell at 12:54 PM on September 23, 2016
But as you said, riruro, Phi Phi doesn't seem to get how she's coming off. It's a shame--drag is show business, and to survive in show business, you really need to be careful about your image. For her own personal wellbeing, I'd hope Phi Phi would have understood this in time for her second season of Drag Race. If someone off-camera keeps goading you with loaded questions about one of your competitors, you've gotta know enough to stay tight-lipped, or at least own your own comments.
I am not a Phi Phi fan, but I fully believe when she says that RuPaul doesn't care a whit about the competitors.
That may very well be true, psoas... though to be fair, how many times have we heard "This isn't RuPaul's School for Girls?"
posted by duffell at 12:54 PM on September 23, 2016
To be fair to RuPaul, there are 100+ queens now, and I suspect he may have used some drugs back in the day.
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 1:10 PM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 1:10 PM on September 23, 2016 [2 favorites]
Yeah, but considering the show is pretty much his meal ticket and the carefully cultivated image of "Mama Ru," it's still jarring.
posted by psoas at 2:23 PM on September 23, 2016
posted by psoas at 2:23 PM on September 23, 2016
Yeah, but considering the show is pretty much his meal ticket and the carefully cultivated image of "Mama Ru," it's still jarring.
Yes and no. If you go back to the very first season of Drag Race, you will see that it was a note-perfect sendup of America's Next Top Model, with Mama Ru as a stand-in for the "mother hen" incarnation of Tyra Banks. Could it have become more than that? Perhaps, but I think Ru has done her part by giving people the opportunity to shine. Ultimately, she's about her brand, and I'm not mad at her--that's how you stay a professional drag queen for 20 years.
posted by CatastropheWaitress at 3:30 PM on September 23, 2016 [4 favorites]
Yes and no. If you go back to the very first season of Drag Race, you will see that it was a note-perfect sendup of America's Next Top Model, with Mama Ru as a stand-in for the "mother hen" incarnation of Tyra Banks. Could it have become more than that? Perhaps, but I think Ru has done her part by giving people the opportunity to shine. Ultimately, she's about her brand, and I'm not mad at her--that's how you stay a professional drag queen for 20 years.
posted by CatastropheWaitress at 3:30 PM on September 23, 2016 [4 favorites]
Did anyone else want both Roxxxy and Phi Phi to go home? Man I wish Tati and Alyssa would have chosen to eliminate different girls.
posted by Lil Bit of Pepper at 9:08 PM on September 24, 2016
posted by Lil Bit of Pepper at 9:08 PM on September 24, 2016
I thought Roxxxy was quite charming tonight (and has been all season!), but this is her third save and unless there's a design/look challenge coming up next I think she's likely to be the next out.
posted by en forme de poire at 9:27 PM on September 24, 2016
posted by en forme de poire at 9:27 PM on September 24, 2016
I also thought it was Roxxy's night to go. The runway is where she particularly shines, so on a night with no runway time, she really sticks out as the weakest of the bunch. Tasha Salad and negative self-talk in front of an audience, girl, please. I think she's great but everyone else who's left has absolutely astonished me at some point this season, so once she goes it is going to be brutal.
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:43 PM on September 25, 2016
posted by tchemgrrl at 1:43 PM on September 25, 2016
I think Roxxy is a big nothing this season, which is the "redemption" we're getting for her. The WoW employees who keep their YouTube channel going (Raja, Raven, especially) just adore her, so there's a lot of just kind of ignoring how bad she is and very short, very nothing interviews with her just to remind us she's in the competition. She shouldn't still be there, given her performances, and while everybody raves about her ability to do runway drag, I'm still left cold, even by her looks.
PhiPhi wasn't going to get a good edit, and I think she realized that about halfway through episode 1. You know what direction the wind is blowing when you're asked questions and told to say things, because FrankenEditing is all too real, and though I think she's doing herself way more harm than good by going angry on social media about it (the fans have shown that they really don't care for anything but the storyline presented to them), I have a huge soft spot for her.
I like Alyssa, but what is so special about her when they say she's funny? She's funny because she says really stupid things, and everyone acts like it's sheer gold. It's just someone saying dumb things, and because Alaska was smart enough to bounce off of that, Alyssa is top? I get that they had to bring two queens back to make up for Adore's departure, and this was the most dramatic way to do it, but Alyssa, while sweet and really good at makeup and dance, doesn't hold together for me.
posted by xingcat at 6:59 AM on September 26, 2016
PhiPhi wasn't going to get a good edit, and I think she realized that about halfway through episode 1. You know what direction the wind is blowing when you're asked questions and told to say things, because FrankenEditing is all too real, and though I think she's doing herself way more harm than good by going angry on social media about it (the fans have shown that they really don't care for anything but the storyline presented to them), I have a huge soft spot for her.
I like Alyssa, but what is so special about her when they say she's funny? She's funny because she says really stupid things, and everyone acts like it's sheer gold. It's just someone saying dumb things, and because Alaska was smart enough to bounce off of that, Alyssa is top? I get that they had to bring two queens back to make up for Adore's departure, and this was the most dramatic way to do it, but Alyssa, while sweet and really good at makeup and dance, doesn't hold together for me.
posted by xingcat at 6:59 AM on September 26, 2016
Dunno man, I think Alyssa has grown a lot as a person since her season. She's a lot more self aware.
I was so, so happy to see PhiPhi go. Like duffell said, I don't think she hears what she's saying a lot of the time. The fact she thought her routine was killer is a good indicator of that. It was pretty flat, I thought.
Roxxy doesn't have long left, I think. She keeps hitting her wall and she can't ride on the failure of others for long.
posted by Jilder at 4:52 AM on November 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was so, so happy to see PhiPhi go. Like duffell said, I don't think she hears what she's saying a lot of the time. The fact she thought her routine was killer is a good indicator of that. It was pretty flat, I thought.
Roxxy doesn't have long left, I think. She keeps hitting her wall and she can't ride on the failure of others for long.
posted by Jilder at 4:52 AM on November 23, 2016 [1 favorite]
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Roxxxy, girl, no girl, no. Nooooooo... I now know that the only thing worse than bombing alone onstage in a standup comedy routine is bombing while unfunnily attempting to make fun of how unfunny you in fact are.
I've gotta say, though, Roxxxy had the hardest job there tonight. Like Alyssa said, not only did she have to perform solo, but she had no one else to bounce her ideas off of. And yet... even grading on that curve, I think she really deserved to go home for her performance. It was that bad. (Still, I will not begrudge Alyssa her Right of Vengeance.)
AND ON THAT SUBJECT, the lip-sync was fucking amazing! Out of this world! I was sitting there wishing Tatianna and Alyssa could both come back, AND THE UNIVERSE PROVIDED.
GIVE ME MORE.
EXCELSIOR.
posted by duffell at 6:04 PM on September 22, 2016 [3 favorites]