• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Rupaul's Drag Race Season 8 [OT] No Tea, No Shade, No Pink Lemonade

Status
Not open for further replies.
Loving Kim Chi. She seems like a sweetheart and I love her looks. TBD on the rest I suppose... kind of like Bob as well though.
 

Rayis

Member
Kim Chi's outfit slayed me, I knew she could serve, though she should have gotten the Hello Kitty and she would have slayed even more

Loving Bob, Kim, Betty, Thorgy, and Naomi
Laila is so fuckin' adorable out of drag
 

kirblar

Member
The moment she said she hadn't learned to sew, she probably sealed her fate.

Was not expecting that out of Laila, she killed it.
 

Monocle

Member
It was fun to see the past RPDR winners this episode. Raja and Violet seriously brought it. Sharon looks like she's still got it, but she's much less compelling than Alaska these days. Great to see Bebe again. Tyra is meh. Jinx is a walking reminder that Alaska should have won her season.

Willam was conspicuously absent from that flashback, lol. (Hoping I just overlooked him.) "Your tone is very pointed right now" should have been in there.

Naomi Smalls is fierce as fuck. The second she entered the workroom I was like "Whoa, hello." Then she absolutely killed that photo, and showed up half the Season 4 queens with that awkward boat challenge. Her runway outfit was simple, yes, but so what? She worked that runway and looked chic as hell with her hair and makeup and earrings. She is one of my new favorites.

Kim Chi won this week? With her average photo and messy runway look? I was hoping she'd be safe, but wow. That cat outfit did nothing for me. It's OK though, I like her aesthetic in general and she seems like a real sweetie. Hope she lasts a long time.

I don't think Dax will survive for long, but I love that her drag style is inspired by her nerdy interests. Anyone who shows up on the first day practically cosplaying Storm is OK in my book.

Thorgy was much, much weaker than I expected. Messy all around. She's dismissed.

I was over Cynthia, but she turned it out on the runway. I still find her annoying though.

I'm glad Acid Betty gave a strong showing this week. I like her style and I want to see more. She should be around for awhile if she's already getting the bitch edit, right?

I think Bob could be top three material. OK drag, but talk about confidence and charisma.

Very surprised to see Laila struggle this week. She looked like a real contender in Meet the Queens, and that one gif of her wig reveal (which I think someone posted in the S7 thread) was killer. She did not deserve to be in the bottom two. Glad she sent Naysha packing with that fierce lipsync.

Naysha's runway look was a mess, and her lipsync performance was all kinds of bland, but Robbie Turner's furry barrel has got to be one of the worst outfits in Drag Race history. BOOT. She should have lipsynced instead of Laila, no question. That photo probably saved her.

I don't understand why the judges tell people to be who they're not. Why should Derrick erase all traces of Britney from her drag when Britney impersonation is her specialty and she's damn good at it? Drag itself is all about transformation and—oh, that's right—female impersonation. Emulating a celebrity well is not an easy thing to do. You don't excel in that field with laziness. But never mind. Derrick brought it this week with the strongest photo after Noami's, and a style and humor on the runway that took me by surprise. Loved that Christmas bush gag. I hope she lasts much longer than the jerks who look down on her for finding her niche and owning it.
 

Raxus

Member
It was hilarious seeing Raja talk with that mask on.

Acid Betty brought it and is already a contender for top villain of the season.

Love Kim and Bob. Hope they continue to bring it. Robbie needs to go home. All this shade for such a mess. Laila only got LSFYL because of the photo. At least her look was on point.

TBD on the rest.

P.S. Legs for DAYS. Smalls damn.
 

Matt_

World's #1 One Direction Fan: Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you~~~
First off Logo's player worked flawlessly so praise to the drag gods

Loved the first episode. Definitely feeling Kim Chi, Bob, Acid Betty, Chi Chi and Naomi

Very glad Laila got to stay because I don't think she deserved bottom 2. Yes her photo was horrid (they must have gotten a better one to use) but I liked her outfit even if the bottom half was basic.
Robbie Turner's outfit on the other hand was HIDEOUS cannot believe she managed to escape more criticism
Probably for the best that Naysha went home. Who comes onto drag race having never made a dress and then openly admits it? fool.

Gonna update the OP with links to both the epiosde on Logo and untucked every week


edit; WAIT Naysha can turn it out
why she come with that lackluster shit in the show?
 

Gradon

Member
Already can't really stand Robbie. Honestly a lot of people surprised me though, there were a few from the meet the queens videos who didn't really stand out to me at all but I felt like everyone stood out for themselves (for better or worse) in the first episode. Cynthia is less annoying than I thought she'd be, and I am living for Kim Chi. Yaaaaasss to
Laila
that lipsync was amazing.
Naysha was very... defeated?
There is no reason that Laila should've been in the bottom 2 anyway, I loved her look. Robbie's was atrocious.
Looking forward to the next episode! Beats Season 7 already for me.
 

MrV4ltor

Member
Robbie
did hilariously bad in the challenge, I think
the only thing that saved her from the bottom 2 is the production team having a bias towards her. One of the casting producers literally said that everyone was screaming YAAAS when Robbies name came up in the room during casting, so it's obvious that they're pulling for her behind the scenes.. Laila shouldn't have been in the bottom, but I feel like she was cast to be a filler queen/early out.
Kim, Bob and Acid are all as amzing as I expected them to be.
 

Shizuka

Member
Untucked has the first Bob x Derrick fight,
but I'll side with Bob in this particular one, Derrick was being way too judgemental on Naomi's aesthetic.
 

Jinfash

needs 2 extra inches
As far entertainment value goes, this season has already eclipsed S7. The cast is simply much more fun to watch.

With that scale in mind, and not quality of drag, here's my ranking:
Great: Bob and Kim
Good: Cynthia, Thorgy, Betty (Major Villain)
Okay: Chi Chi, Noami, Robbie (confessionals), Derrick (Minor Villain)
Meh: the Queen that got booted, Leila(?), Exclamation

As far as drag goes, the only ones I'm excited to see what they'll do next is Kim and Betty. But there's still potential in here.
 

Shizuka

Member
This season has already eclipsed S7 with its cast, as far entertainment value goes. They're simply much more fun to watch.

With scale in mind, and not quality of drag, here are my favorites:
Great: Bob and Kim
Good: Cynthia, Thorgy, Betty (Major Villain)
Okay: Chi Chi, Noami, Bobbie (confessionals), Derrick (Minor Villain)
Meh: the Queen that got booted, Leila(?), Exclamation

As far as drag goes, the only ones I'm excited to see what they'll do next is Kim and Betty. But there's still potential in here.

Bobbie the Drag Clown?
jk miss thing
 
Thorgy, Bob, Kim, Chi Chi. My faves right now <3

Acid Betty and Derrick are gonna be fun to watch just for the shade. Same with my hometown sis Cynthia.

Dax, Cynthia, Robbie and Laila are gonna need to step up a bit. Hopefully they can, but I'm not holding out hope for Dax. :/
 

Wilsongt

Member
Acid, Thorgy, Bob, Kim, Cynthia, and Chi Chi are giving me life.

And during that lipsync, I just yelled YASGAGA when
Laila McQueen
dropped to her knees and did her hair flip. I am gagging.
 
Oooof... I did not agree with that bottom 2 -
Laila
, yes,
Naysha
, no way - she wasn't robbed so much as.... Robbied? (sorry!)

I thought everything I saw of Robbie in this episode was sub-par ESPECIALLY the runway which was easily the worst of the bunch - that fucking wig, she was what a 40s pin-up? The outfit was terrible, and was he doing some kind of act about being pissed off at the dog or something? I just saw his stank face the whole time, even during the critiques after the dog was gone - I got a Magnolia Crawford vibe from him the whole runway. And if he'd lipsynced, especially to a song like that that surely isn't his schtick, he would've been gone. And I didn't think Robbie was going to be one of the ones I didn't particularly like.

Overall this seems like a pretty solid bunch, I liked almost all really except maybe Acid Betty who had a bit of a Detox type chip on her shoulder (I was giving him the Kristen Johnston Detox critique to myself). But he seems talented I've seen some of his youtube videos, but it's always that hair, he looks very 90s TV news footage of London Pride to me.

Loving Bob, Thorgy (I want to be friends with these guys!), Cynthia seems like a hoot, Laila is kind of cute out of drag(?) but I don't like her style at all she's like Sasha Belle fell in to the end of season 4 trash bags. Kim Chi seems quiet but not shy, with a really solid idea of what she's about. Derrick I think will be one everyone is wanting to see slip up. Dax went totally under the radar, seemed attitudey or nervous. Chi Chi is likeable in that Stacey Matthews way, like her too.
 
Any drag queen who can't rise to the occasion in a lipsync to APPLAUSE doesn't deserve to stick around. Like... how do you not turn the party with that song

Got frustrated watching that just like I did during that Oops! double elimination lip sync tbh
 

Jinfash

needs 2 extra inches
I can't find the Ep 2 preview. And what the hell is Bus Buddies? I'm seeing way too many extras.

Edit: Never fucking mind. Forgot how to internet.

Edit2: Lawd. AB Soto. God bless that bearded face.
 

Shizuka

Member
Any drag queen who can't rise to the occasion in a lipsync to APPLAUSE doesn't deserve to stick around. Like... how do you not turn the party with that song

Got frustrated watching that just like I did during that Oops! double elimination lip sync tbh

Unpopular opinion, but I don't think Laila turned it out either. It was clearly better than her competition, but I wasn't living for her performance.
 
I can't find the Ep 2 preview. And what the hell is Bus Buddies? I'm seeing way too many extras.

Edit: Never fucking mind. Forgot how to internet.

It's on logotv. Direct link through Reddit. Also hi! <3

Unpopular opinion, but I don't think Laila turned it out either. It was clearly better than her competition, but I wasn't living for her performance.

Honestly most of my criticism was "I could have performed that really well," lol
 

Jinfash

needs 2 extra inches
It's on logotv. Direct link through Reddit. Also hi! <3
Hey sis

FXaayap.gif
 

B-Dex

Member
iTunes Canada doesn't have a season pass for the main show. But it has one for untucked lol. WTF OutTV.
 

mantidor

Member
Uugh untucked was available overseas last season... this shit is absurd.

But I liked the episode, it still has that transparent editing that really annoys you but whatever, you learn to see pass it, the fact they are focusing more in all the conversations in the workroom is already a huge improvement over last season, and both winner and loser were deserved, as sad as it was to see Naysha so heartbroken. Robbie should have definitely been in the bottom though.
 

oti

Banned
Watching the first episode right now. Again, I really enjoy how confident everyone is. But I still know next to nothing about this culture so I have two questions:

1. Is the Britney impersonator a "real" Drag Queen? I thought this whole thing was about coming up with a character. Like a moving art piece of some sorts. (I hope I'm not insensitive here, I'm sorry if I am.)

2. What do Drag Queens actually do? How do they make their money? I mean everyone can do Drag as far as I understand it but being a professional Drag Queen means there must be some money coming in. I know Bianca del Rio is a comedian so surely they book her for shows but what about the others.

Also, ANIME NEEDS TO DIE but I want Kim Chi to win.
 

Matt_

World's #1 One Direction Fan: Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you~~~
Watching the first episode right now. Again, I really enjoy how confident everyone is. But I still know next to nothing about this culture so I have two questions:

1. Is the Britney impersonator a "real" Drag Queen? I thought this whole thing was about coming up with a character. Like a moving art piece of some sorts. (I hope I'm not insensitive here, I'm sorry if I am.)

2. What do Drag Queens actually do? How do they make their money? I mean everyone can do Drag as far as I understand it but being a professional Drag Queen means there must be some money coming in. I know Bianca del Rio is a comedian so surely they book her for shows but what about the others.

Also, ANIME NEEDS TO DIE but I want Kim Chi to win.

1. Yeah hes a drag queen its just a very focused act. While he may not be as varied and as versatile as some of the other queens on this show, he said himself in untucked that doing all the weird stuff isn't his shtick and hes quite happy just being britney

2. Drag queens that aren't comedy usually get shows doing lip syncing and dancing or actually performing their own music. Whenever I've seen a drag show on youtube the audience always holds up money that they come and collect (kinda like strippers)
That being said I've never had the fortune of seeing a drag show in real life and don't know a whole lot about the culture outside of this show so I may well be talking out of my ass. I
 

Yado

Member
Watching the first episode right now. Again, I really enjoy how confident everyone is. But I still know next to nothing about this culture so I have two questions:

1. Is the Britney impersonator a "real" Drag Queen? I thought this whole thing was about coming up with a character. Like a moving art piece of some sorts. (I hope I'm not insensitive here, I'm sorry if I am.)

2. What do Drag Queens actually do? How do they make their money? I mean everyone can do Drag as far as I understand it but being a professional Drag Queen means there must be some money coming in. I know Bianca del Rio is a comedian so surely they book her for shows but what about the others.

Also, ANIME NEEDS TO DIE but I want Kim Chi to win.

I assume they get paid to perform, they also collect tips while performing.
 
I assume they get paid to perform, they also collect tips while performing.
It's this. There's a booking fee to get the performer to your club.
If you watch their tips they don't really make much more than $20 per performance unless they're somebody HUGE at a big venue, but they'll often do a couple performances in a night.

Lately Rupaul girls have been all the rage and it's causing some strife in the drag community because it can sometimes be difficult to book a good gig if you haven't been on the show.
 
Loving Bob and Kim, the rest I'm lukewarm on. Honestly I didn't really like this first challenge.

What was the first half of that untucked? Predicting winners other than yourself but not framing them as "competition" is a snoozefest.

Derrick better get it together, you can't throw shade in a dark closet. She clearly is being naive about her own look and downfalls. Flexibility is a big part of the game, and Bob told her right its only cute until you're in the bottom two. So disappointing.
 

Rayis

Member
Don't freakin' cover faces tho, make-up is vital to some of these looks such as Kim's.

Why did they boot Naomi's entrance look?, she was fierce
 

okno

Member
FIIIINALLY had a chance to watch it and I am liiiiiving for this season!

Really surprised by Kim Chi! She did not give me a good impression at first, and her runway walk was nothing short of clunky, but I thought she turned it out.

Betty I like, but she's got that NYC Club kid arrogance that's going to get real tired, real fast.

Bob knows how to put together a look, but I find his humor more abrasive than funny. Like Betty said, he throws 300 jokes out and 4 are funny. It's too much, but good god can she turn a look.

Derrick, boo. No personality and I don't have confidence he'll do much more than Britney.

Chi Chi surprised me A LOT. Bitch is country as hell, but she owns who she is to death. You can tell she is a SPOILED ASS southern girl, though, and I think she'll snap at some point.

Naomi was safe, but I think she'll turn up in the coming challenges. She didn't satisfy the challenge very well, but girl has got some legggggs.

LIVINGGGGG for Thorgy. LOVE her energy and playfulness. EVERYTHING.

Cynthia Lee is kind of everything, but enough about the kookoo.

Bye, Naysha.

Bye, Dax.

Bye, Laila.

Bye, Robbie.
 

Jinfash

needs 2 extra inches
Are we not talking about how Robbie in drag comes across like a half-assed Jinkx Monsoon impersonator?
That definitely stood out since Meet the Queens was released. What's funny is that some (myself included) declared her a "more polished version of Jinkx." But when they were side by side during the photoshoot, Robbie looked raggedy in comparison. So it's safer to say that she's a more polished version of Jinkx at the beginning of her season. Cause Jinkx came a long way ever since.
 

mantidor

Member
Is it wrong that I can't stand Robbie's teeth? am I a bad person? D:

1. Is the Britney impersonator a "real" Drag Queen? I thought this whole thing was about coming up with a character. Like a moving art piece of some sorts. (I hope I'm not insensitive here, I'm sorry if I am.)

Many drag queens have made a living of impersonating someone, like Chad Michaels did with Cher, but Drag Race is more about being a jack-of-all-trades thing. It is perfectly valid to just be fashion queen, a comedic queen, or an impersonation queen, and there thousands of queens who have made successful careers out of just one of those, but for this show, at least at the beginning, it was about following the steps of RuPaul who has basically done it all.
 
Watching the first episode right now. Again, I really enjoy how confident everyone is. But I still know next to nothing about this culture so I have two questions:

1. Is the Britney impersonator a "real" Drag Queen? I thought this whole thing was about coming up with a character. Like a moving art piece of some sorts. (I hope I'm not insensitive here, I'm sorry if I am.)

2. What do Drag Queens actually do? How do they make their money? I mean everyone can do Drag as far as I understand it but being a professional Drag Queen means there must be some money coming in. I know Bianca del Rio is a comedian so surely they book her for shows but what about the others.

Also, ANIME NEEDS TO DIE but I want Kim Chi to win.


Happy to jump in on answering these too :p

1. Yes she is, and it helps prove the point that drag can be interpreted/expressed in any number of ways. I'd say the core definition of "drag" is performance through either a different gender than your own or an embellished/over-the-top version of what/who you are. The conventional definition is "female impersonation," which is generally true but you've seen on the show how some queens aren't really gunning for looking "female." Either way, since Derrick's drag fits that definition she's absolutely a drag queen. Celebrity impersonation is impressive to me but yeah, she interprets her style through such a tunnel vision that I don't find that inspiring.

It's fun to see different people use drag differently. Think of someone like Willam, Bianca or even RuPaul, who don't really change personalities when they get in drag but just use it to elevate the visual. Their demeanor relatively stays the same, and by doing drag they're essentially matching their real personalities with a preferred gender. Versus a BenDelacreme or Sharon Needles, who not only transform their look but their personality as well. They're character queens, which is a personal favorite of mine because it's much more focused on performance.

2. Drag queens tend to perform in nightclubs and gay bars, the traditional performance style is through lip syncing, which is why the bottom two each week have to lip sync for their lives. Some perform live, some do interpretive performances that don't fall under those categories, but generally the crowd holds out cash for the queens to walk by and collect mid-performance. If you remember in Season 6 Darienne Lake did an impression of taking money from a crowd during her second lip sync, it's the traditional thing. Drag and lip syncing have gone hand in hand for decades now, though as you've seen on the show not all queens excel in that style. The interesting thing about the drag scene now is that most queens think that the only way to make a drag career truly lucrative is to get on Drag Race, which is sadly true because there are now 100 alums who are more likely to get a club booking than a local up-n-comer. That's the caveat of having a show like this be such a phenomenon; queens all over the country are hungry to get on the show just to validate doing drag in the first place.
 

Shizuka

Member
Is it wrong that I can't stand Robbie's teeth? am I a bad person? D:

Nope, me too. Robbie is a good looking guy, if you can overlook his teeth. I can't.

Versus a BenDelacreme or Sharon Needles, who not only transform their look but their personality as well. They're character queens, which is a personal favorite of mine because it's much more focused on performance.

Until Michelle comes for you on panel and says that they don't know the real you. It's a bit unsettling, some drag queens are just those personas, they know better than to mix their real personality and their drag personality together.

And I agree about the show's success being good and bad. We'll continue to get contestants like Magnolia Crawford and Jasmine Masters that audition to the show only because they have to, they need/want the recognition and to get that out of the way.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom