Ru-Evolution: ‘Drag Race’ Queens on How the Show Can Rethink Its Rules

[Bling 31,446]

“It’s chocolate.” Imagine going back in time and telling any Drag Race fan that those two words — “It’s chocolate” — would become inextricably linked to the Emmy-winning, trailblazing reality competition franchise. They’d look at you the way RuPaul looks at anyone who plays a makeup YouTuber on Snatch Game: complete disinterest with a tinge of bewilderment. But here we are, halfway through Season 14 (or are we a quarter through… or has it just started?!) and “It’s chocolate,” accompanied by the Price is Right sad horns, is as much part of the canon as Tuckahoe.

That’s because those two words are part of a twist on the format, a new rule/promotional opportunity wherein the eliminated queens get one final chance to stay before sashaying away. They pull a RuPaul candy bar from their bra (or, come on, they’re handed the bar from offstage and then pull it out, right?), open it up and, if it’s a golden bar, they shantay. If it’s chocolate, they sashay. It’s so ridiculous, superfluous, and humiliating that it circles around to being highly entertainting television; the sad horns really push it over the top. But will this rule stick around, or is it a one-season wonder? How many more unwrappable tie-in items RuPaul has to promote?

...

For this dissection of the Drag Race rules, we interviewed five alumni separately by phone and email: BenDeLaCreme (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, 5th Place, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 3, 6th Place), Laganja Estranja (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, 8th Place), Honey Davenport (RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11, 13th Place), Priyanka (Canada’s Drag Race Season 1, Winner), and Choriza May (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 3, 6th Place). Here are their combined thoughts and feelings about the twists and turns of the franchise. Interviews have been edited, combined, and condensed for clarity, mama.

...

What about Season 14’s big twist: the chocolate bar?

Laganja: I think it’s pretty lame to be quite honest (). It’s already unrealistic to think that lipstick would stay in someone’s bra, so there’s no way a chocolate bar would stay in someone’s bra. It would get all smushed. But hey, props to RuPaul for finding another creative way to continue to promote her products. I totally understand why she’s doing it. Can’t hate on her for that.

...

Season 5 was the last time a queen was given immunity after winning a Maxi Challenge. Should immunity make a comeback?

Choriza: I don’t think so! Every day counts when you are on Drag Race. Winning a challenge is already a great reward, especially in the American seasons where they get a cash tip of $5,000 ()! Giving immunity would only make people relax, and there is no time for that in such a fierce competition.

...

Drag Race has a lineup of challenges that appear every season — Snatch Game, the Rusical, the makeover, etc. Do you think any of these challenges need a break?

DeLa: With so many seasons coming on, it has to be the same [challenges and format] over and over again. There’s no time to reinvent. At some point it becomes an assembly line where it has to be plug and play, just because of sheer volume. I would love to see the whole thing slow down and take its time ().

...

Season 14 has had multiple episodes where no one was eliminated. Do you like to see episodes where no one goes home?

Laganja: No. I think that’s boring. I’m here to watch bitches go home every week. (!!!!!!!!!!!!)

https://decider-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/decider.com/2022/03/14/rupauls-drag-race-rules-format-change-interview/amp/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIKAGwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From %1%24s&aoh=16472971086902&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fdecider.com%2F2022%2F03%2F14%2Frupauls-drag-race-rules-format-change-interview%2F

 

OK HOW MUCH DO WE LOVE LAGANJA FOR SPILLING THE ABSOLUTE TEA!!!!! 

(The entire article is really interesting for Drag Race fans as they incorporate international seasons. But I posted the juicy bits for you bottoms )

Spoiler

@COOOK@weed @bionic @streamstarcrossed@alsemanche @Tinnitus15 @La RosaliaR @artdoll @deactivated001 @Stephen @Enigma@Fantina @phantasmas @Ororo Munroe @Frank PotionP @DanielM @Levine @Sneaky Oliver @Shav33l

 

[COOOK 76,406]

Unless the US seasons overlap with each other and Season 15 queens start entering the workroom while the 14 ones are still filming there, a long season also means that the time between seasons gets extended so make up your minds.

If it's long, we complain. If it's short, we need time to breathe. Pick a side.

But the chocolate thing is pretty degrading for them ngl

[Bling 31,446]

3 minutes ago, COOOK said:

Unless the US seasons overlap with each other and Season 15 queens start entering the workroom while the 14 ones are still filming there, a long season also means that the time between seasons gets extended so make up your minds.

If it's long, we complain. If it's short, we need time to breathe. Pick a side.

But the chocolate thing is pretty degrading for them ngl

Personally, I'm for OG Drag Race rules. At least 1 queen goes home every episode. Every now and then (like every other season or less) double elimination and double Shantay. I live for a triple elimination 

[COOOK 76,406]

2 minutes ago, WheresMy911Alice said:

Personally, I'm for OG Drag Race rules. At least 1 queen goes home every episode. Every now and then (like every other season or less) double elimination and double Shantay. I live for a triple elimination 

I love the OG rules as much as every fan, but I also commend them for trying new things. They can always go back to what already worked.

I'm sorry but I also get a bit protective whenever I see complains about the show's iterations and stuff, because I believe in the power visibility has. This is preachy but we really need this as a community. I lived for a few years in a dominant, straight guy dorms where soccer was like a cult. Leagues and Cups never seemed to end lol. Every time it was some League season, so why can't gheys be up to par and have our own stamp of "we're here too"?

At the end of the day we all sit in front of our screens watching it religiously.

If not for Drag Race, maybe Dragula or some other show- shows that Drag Race opened the doors for 

[Babel 41,495]

Sometimes it feels like Drag Race is past its prime. Maybe it’s more popular than ever, but the show quality has downgraded a lot. The writing on acting challenges and rusicals has become stale. Those used to make you laugh, now comedy is forced by production, jokes hardly land. 
 

Also, the judging and placement of queens every week are always questionable and most of the time doesn’t make sense.
 

And there’s the fanbase that has turned queens into kindness robots, cause anything barely shady said by them is a free pass for queens to be harassed and hated on.

[COOOK 76,406]

2 minutes ago, Babel said:

And there’s the fanbase that has turned queens into kindness robots, cause anything barely shady said by them is a free pass for queens to be harassed and hated on.

Justice for Nina Bonina 

[Bling 31,446]

8 minutes ago, COOOK said:

I love the OG rules as much as every fan, but I also commend them for trying new things. They can always go back to what already worked.

I'm sorry but I also get a bit protective whenever I see complains about the show's iterations and stuff, because I believe in the power visibility has. This is preachy but we really need this as a community. I lived for a few years in a dominant, straight guy dorms where soccer was like a cult. Leagues and Cups never seemed to end lol. Every time it was some League season, so why can't gheys be up to par and have our own stamp of "we're here too"?

At the end of the day we all sit in front of our screens watching it religiously.

If not for Drag Race, maybe Dragula or some other show- shows that Drag Race opened the doors for 

I totally get that, maybe it's just us adjusting to so much queer content and I think what makes it more complicated is it's a competition so there's SO many queens to remember. Back when there was one season every year, it was easy to recall each queen, their looks, strengths/weaknesses, etc. Now, I barely remember queens who aren't top 5 lol.

Also, my main complaint is the length of the seasons and contestants staying so long/double Shantay overload (Kandy Muse for example ) Its a little "every kid gets a trophy for showing up" type thing. I'm here for a competition, not an after school special.

But then again, they all get trophies when they leave so I guess that analogy sucks 

[COOOK 76,406]

4 minutes ago, WheresMy911Alice said:

But then again, they all get trophies when they leave so I guess that analogy sucks 

They don't even get those anymore 

[Bling 31,446]

Just now, COOOK said:

They don't even get those anymore 

WHAT when did they stop?! I've been binge rewatching the seasons with my mom and I didn't notice this!

[Fantina 3,358]

Thanks for tagging me! Will read through the entire article later but I agree with what was said. These are some of my thoughts:

I think Drag Race needs to come clean and decide whether it's reality TV or a competition. I understand that it's both but I do think it's getting out of hand when queens spend up to 30k for outfits and wigs only to go home first. Also I hated the AS2 format in UKvsTW. I don't think queens should be forced to eliminate someone only to worry later whether they will get death threats. I get it, queens get hate in normal seasons too but with the AS2 format you are kinda fuelling the already toxic and racist fanbase.

You don't need to rethink the formula and change the format, but take time to explore and cast different types of drag. I would love to see drag kings and alt performers on the show. I know that it will shock most viewers, but I do think it is time to show everyone just how diverse the art of drag really is.

Give some love to the international franchises too. Do better at promoting them and highlighting the performers. Don't create an "International All Stars" season only to have the top four be UK and US queens. No shade to the top 4. They are fierce but come on, virtually none of the international performers that slayed most of the season made it to the finale. 

 

 

[COOOK 76,406]

1 minute ago, WheresMy911Alice said:

WHAT when did they stop?! I've been binge rewatching the seasons with my mom and I didn't notice this!

I think it was with S12?

[Bling 31,446]

2 minutes ago, COOOK said:

I think it was with S12?

Wow, sister COVID really just came for everything huh 

[artdoll 46,517]

13 minutes ago, COOOK said:

I lived for a few years in a dominant, straight guy dorms where soccer was like a cult. Leagues and Cups never seemed to end lol. Every time it was some League season, so why can't gheys be up to par and have our own stamp of "we're here too"?

At the end of the day we all sit in front of our screens watching it religiously.

This! I will never understand the fans that complain when a season is too long, if you're tired of it then read the spoilers that have been available online since before the season began and stop watching. I remember when we would get 1 season per year and everyone was constantly thirsting for more seasons but now that we're getting exactly that people are complaining. You don't have to watch every season/spin-off. 

I get a little irritated about it as well because we finally have such a mainstream show that has amazing people on it and it serves as great representation! (even though it could've done better in the past) I've noticed how large the fanbase has grown over the years and how toxic it has become, the fans don't seem to be satisfied with anything, drag race makes questionable decisions and still does (especially when it comes to twists and judging) and no matter what decision is made it seems that fans will always be unhappy. 

[degenerate 526]

Is there a link to this article...?

[nATAH 49,892]

i don't think the problem is too much Drag Race, i think the problem is that Drag Race is still a monopoly of the genre at the moment so there's not a lot of choice to take a break from it

Dragula is a really good alternative to Drag Race (especially as their budget grows with each season) that highlights the alternative side to drag and i much prefer that in favour of Drag Race's pageant genre! i'm exhausted of Drag Race but not drag itself and i'm totally open to more shows that show the different faces of drag like drag kings etc