RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 | Congrats to the winner!

[Ziggy 13,740]

I only watch pit stop atp bc i like bianca and don't find the show very good anymore, but lord kenya and athena...i can actually let kenya pass a little bc she clearly is less seasoned, less money, etc. and has a BIG personality despite being kinda bad at everything and a poor attitude about it lol But Athena im like...almost irritated she's so terrible and corny lmfao

[Ilia Malinin 2,721]

On 12/2/2025 at 5:57 PM, EART HL I NG said:

Unfortunate 

 

Ru fracked drag

[phantasmas 12,122]

Kenya Please-Learn-The-Words?! 

lovely girl but she's starting to give off lazy or like she doesn't seem to know what she signed up for 

 

[ENlGMA 5,384]

Nini deserved it!!! also Myki made me laugh. Insallah Nini will win the whole thing. She’s the whole package

[Magneto 13,526]

Every since UKvstW started I've lost all interest in this season tbh 

[Batwings 12,946]

I'm just stunned at this week's episode. I love Kenya's personality, but she's been awful in most of the challenges so far, and that lipsync was awful, and Ru decided to keep her? 

[gagzus 21,424]

6 hours ago, Magneto said:

Every since UKvstW started I've lost all interest in this season tbh 

EDIT: fair warning this turned into a long winded rant I do apologise

 

Probably me looking a bit too deeply but Ive been thinking lately- it’s not helped by the fact the US seasons have like 18 episode seasons of often very boring people. The US queens tend to live their lives like drag race is the be all end all, where as most Europeans do not. However US queens try to be “cool” about it where as you have people like Fontana on ours or most of the international girls on GAS who admitted meeting RuPaul is a dream come true and being on drag race means something bigger to them than the money and fame.

I think there’s a reason Ru loves the UK and UKvTW franchise and has more fun clearly compared to others (I still think she would’ve stepped down off of US as head judge like she did with Down Under if she could) US drag race now is like machine built 20 something year olds who’s only frame of reference for drag now is Drag Race, even their “history” is just references they know because it’s been on Drag Race and it’s all buzzwords like Marsha P Johnson, Stonewall etc. 

They also lack a fundamental honesty about why they do drag, it’s uncouth to admit you started drag to be on drag race which is mostly their reasoning. Or you have people my age and older who started it because we like attention, causing chaos and free drinks and dr*gs. Even Ru pussyfoots around the reason for him starting drag now it’s all “it’s for the art and the anti establishment etc etc” when she used to openly admit she started drag because she wanted to be famous and it got her attention.

The US seasons lack so much authenticity to me now because they have like regular seasons and then all stars EVERY year now, people don’t get to be the reigning queen who’s top billed on a national (or international) tour anymore.

Even in the UK the drag race effect has worn off, I recently worked with the girls from the latest UK season some were good and some were not so good, but we legit all got paid the same, where as the last time I worked with a US queen she got 10x my fee for doing LESS than me. To the point we barely book US queens over here anymore for shows in bars and it’s now only big names in theatres. Drag Race fatigue is a thing, because Drag Race is just normalised now. But US queens refuse to admit they aren’t worth $4k or more anymore (that’s literally how much- NOT even including their flights and accommodation being paid for the last US queen I worked with got paid to basically come do 1 number and walk around the bar I only got £400 for being the host, 4 numbers and staying for the full 8 hours).

Ever since I got into full time drag and started actually working with people on the show, I realised how unrealistic their expectations are and how a lot of them aren’t even real people anymore.
 

Take Eureka for instance and Alyssa Edwards I worked with them at the last DragCon UK, we spent almost 14 hours together a DAY and they were doing their thing with the fans (barely speaking to me or the staff I might add) and then we went to the green room bits in between for breaks and they legit couldn’t even drop the act in front of fellow queens. They legit were still acting like Muppet characters and listing off catchphrases and trying to be all mother goose whilst I was just stood in my under garments and no wig trying to ask them what they’re doing after the Con for food and drinks  

 

Edited February 22 by gagzus

[Ziggy 13,740]

11 hours ago, gagzus said:

EDIT: fair warning this turned into a long winded rant I do apologise

 

Probably me looking a bit too deeply but Ive been thinking lately- it’s not helped by the fact the US seasons have like 18 episode seasons of often very boring people. The US queens tend to live their lives like drag race is the be all end all, where as most Europeans do not. However US queens try to be “cool” about it where as you have people like Fontana on ours or most of the international girls on GAS who admitted meeting RuPaul is a dream come true and being on drag race means something bigger to them than the money and fame.

I think there’s a reason Ru loves the UK and UKvTW franchise and has more fun clearly compared to others (I still think she would’ve stepped down off of US as head judge like she did with Down Under if she could) US drag race now is like machine built 20 something year olds who’s only frame of reference for drag now is Drag Race, even their “history” is just references they know because it’s been on Drag Race and it’s all buzzwords like Marsha P Johnson, Stonewall etc. 

They also lack a fundamental honesty about why they do drag, it’s uncouth to admit you started drag to be on drag race which is mostly their reasoning. Or you have people my age and older who started it because we like attention, causing chaos and free drinks and dr*gs. Even Ru pussyfoots around the reason for him starting drag now it’s all “it’s for the art and the anti establishment etc etc” when she used to openly admit she started drag because she wanted to be famous and it got her attention.

The US seasons lack so much authenticity to me now because they have like regular seasons and then all stars EVERY year now, people don’t get to be the reigning queen who’s top billed on a national (or international) tour anymore.

Even in the UK the drag race effect has worn off, I recently worked with the girls from the latest UK season some were good and some were not so good, but we legit all got paid the same, where as the last time I worked with a US queen she got 10x my fee for doing LESS than me. To the point we barely book US queens over here anymore for shows in bars and it’s now only big names in theatres. Drag Race fatigue is a thing, because Drag Race is just normalised now. But US queens refuse to admit they aren’t worth $4k or more anymore (that’s literally how much- NOT even including their flights and accommodation being paid for the last US queen I worked with got paid to basically come do 1 number and walk around the bar I only got £400 for being the host, 4 numbers and staying for the full 8 hours).

Ever since I got into full time drag and started actually working with people on the show, I realised how unrealistic their expectations are and how a lot of them aren’t even real people anymore.
 

Take Eureka for instance and Alyssa Edwards I worked with them at the last DragCon UK, we spent almost 14 hours together a DAY and they were doing their thing with the fans (barely speaking to me or the staff I might add) and then we went to the green room bits in between for breaks and they legit couldn’t even drop the act in front of fellow queens. They legit were still acting like Muppet characters and listing off catchphrases and trying to be all mother goose whilst I was just stood in my under garments and no wig trying to ask them what they’re doing after the Con for food and drinks  

 

Yeah it doesn't really feel like there's a direction for the industry lol it's like everyone knows work will still come while the show is on but everyone is waiting on Ru to officially retire and they'll have to make some sort of pivot. Feels like a lot of borrowed time atm. Ru will never anoint someone else, but he also won't eeeever allow someone to truly, genuinely be a viable alternative to his supremacy/the culture isn't friendly to it atm. so there's a weird holding period and the girls are just stalling until something happens but idt anyone knows what that'll be.

[gagzus 21,424]

22 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

Yeah it doesn't really feel like there's a direction for the industry lol it's like everyone knows work will still come while the show is on but everyone is waiting on Ru to officially retire and they'll have to make some sort of pivot. Feels like a lot of borrowed time atm. Ru will never anoint someone else, but he also won't eeeever allow someone to truly, genuinely be a viable alternative to his supremacy/the culture isn't friendly to it atm. so there's a weird holding period and the girls are just stalling until something happens but idt anyone knows what that'll be.

whether people like it or not, when Ru either retires or passes away. The brand will be helmed by Michelle. And there's gonna be a LOT of flack when it happens because of the fact she's not a drag queen. I know i'm trying to milk as much as a can from the general public because even now politically people are turning against drag queens (I've even lost worked because they don't want to upset their customers) and it's taught me a LOT about people.

But yeah back to the fact Michelle will definitely be taking over from Ru, people seem to think alumni will take over but i don't think WOW would allow their to be an officially ordained "successor" to Ru (even though I'd argue Trixie Mattel or Jink Monsoon are his real successors). They MIGHT ask Trixie to be a rotating judge or get Raven to do it if anything happened so there's still a drag queen on the panel. 

And if not, then they'll just cancel the show or wrap it up or whatever, then we'll see loads of copycat shows start to pop up to keep it going (with probably little to no success)

Edited February 22 by gagzus

[Magneto 13,526]

10 minutes ago, gagzus said:

whether people like it or not, when Ru either retires or passes away. The brand will be helmed by Michelle. And there's gonna be a LOT of flack when it happens because of the fact she's not a drag queen. I know i'm trying to milk as much as a can from the general public because even now politically people are turning against drag queens (I've even lost worked because they don't want to upset their customers) and it's taught me a LOT about people.

But yeah back to the fact Michelle will definitely be taking over from Ru, people seem to think alumni will take over but i don't think WOW would allow their to be an officially ordained "successor" to Ru (even though I'd argue Trixie Mattel or Jink Monsoon are his real successors). They MIGHT ask Trixie to be a rotating judge or get Raven to do it if anything happened so there's still a drag queen on the panel. 

And if not, then they'll just cancel the show or wrap it up or whatever, then we'll see loads of copycat shows start to pop up to keep it going (with probably little to no success)

I wouldn't say I personally experience drag race fatigue, but definitely Ru fatigue. Not taking away his amazing talents or what he has done for the community. But at this point his reference and jokes are getting stale and queens know how to pander to it.

Ive been really enjoying the international seasons. Both the judges and contestants seem way more happy to be there and there's more involvement from the judging panel like Brooke's super technical critiques or Supremme often crying when she eliminates a contestant

[gagzus 21,424]

also found out today that Sami Landri's famous line in french is actually a Gaga reference  

[littlepotter 76,279]

I honestly am enjoying the season so idk why everyone's up in arms. I feel like I'm in the very minor minority of seeing why Kenya won that lipsync.

[K e n 780]

1 hour ago, littlepotter said:

I honestly am enjoying the season so idk why everyone's up in arms. I feel like I'm in the very minor minority of seeing why Kenya won that lipsync.

I agree. She made Ru laugh more although the lipsync itself could’ve been tighter. Mia was also clearly the worst in the challenge so not really mad at the outcome. Hope she actually somehow rudeems herself and gets a top placement in there (Rusical?). Before her inavoidable elimination. 

[TheFrenchGuy 5,123]

2 hours ago, gagzus said:

also found out today that Sami Landri's famous line in french is actually a Gaga reference  

Huh? As-tu une cigarette?

[K e n 780]

On 2/21/2026 at 4:37 PM, APPLAUSE4YOU said:

The Jane hate is shocking me, I loved her! Last two episodes were the first time I’ve really warmed up to Discord. Soooooo happy for Nini!! I want her to win it all.   And sad Mia went home but tbh that lip sync was so bad from them both and Kenya’s time is UP!!

Absolutely agree. Jane Don’t will obviously keep people pressed because she’s done her homework and, favoritism or not, is simply an amazing queen. What a record breaking run already.

Knowing how the cookie will crumble, Nini for the win! She’s got it.