THEGAYUK

Category: Drag

  • RuPaul has advice for you if you want to be a drag queen

    The world’s most famous DQ RuPaul has advice if you ever want to be a drag queen.

    RuPaul
    CREDIT: Photography Mathu Andersen

    Speaking to THEGAYUK.com a few years ago, RuPaul has some sage advice for those who are thinking about becoming a Drag Queen – and it’s real people. Real Estate.

    For those of us in the UK – that means being an Estate Agent.

    When asked what advice he would give, RuPaul said, “get your real estate licence” – because it’s not likely you’ll be making enough for your rent, at least in the beginning.

    ALSO READ: 10 most shocking moments from RuPaul’s Drag Race

    RuPaul, who has been a drag queen since the 80s, has a career that spans films, music, podcasts and, of course, one of the world’s most popular reality TV shows, RuPaul’s Drag Race.

    RuPaul’s career has spawned countless albums and singles. She has also starred in films. More recently she and Michelle Visage started the incredible popular What’s The Tee? Podcast

    RuPaul went on to say that show business is a “hard business” and that you shouldn’t lose your head if you get a glimpse of fame. She told us, “Show business is a hard business. Most people see all the glamour and their names in the paper but that’s just such a small part of what it takes to maintain a career.

    ALSO READ: 10 UK queens who would slay in RuPaul’s Drag Race

    “You have to be very resilient, you have to know thyself and you have to have an understanding of what is being asked of you by the public.”

    Finally, RuPaul has this final piece of advice, “What is it they get from you? What your value is?”

    Drag is a business baby – what’s your USP?

  • Courtney Act wins Celebrity Big Bro, Year of the Woman

    After 32 days and for the final time, Emma Willis addressed the Celebrity Big Brother house and announced live that this series’ winner, who received the most votes was Courtney Act and Ann Widdecombe as runner-up.

    CBB’s champion left the house to cheers from the crowd, greeted by Emma.

    Courtney confirmed, “This is just amazing! Thank you! Thank you to the eight glorious women who were in the house and to all of my other housemates. Those people made it possible, those experiences we had…this is so surreal right now. It’s amazing to think the public have chosen me, I guess it’s validation. I guess this is validation that it’s OK to be different.”

    Shane J / Courtney added, “You forget about the people watching at home and making their own opinions on the conversations…I guess they liked the conversations!”

    On Andrew, “Had a crush on him! He’s just so comfortable about everyone and everything, just knowing who he is. I love that and respect that about him. I do respect his boundaries. It’s fun to flirt!”

    Courtney confirmed the wardrobe malfunction on launch “wasn’t planned”.

  • RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars Season 3 Premiere – RuCap

    The third All Stars is finally here and the premiere was full of twists and turns and shocks and surprises, as Alaska and Chad Michaels promised it would at the beginning of the episode.

    OBVS: There are spoilers ahead…

    Their manic laughter soon dissolves, however, as they sigh and reveal The Drag Race Hall of Fame to not be what they – or anyone else – were expecting. They walk off in their creepy red robes and white hats, only to pop up again at the end of the episode… but more on that later.

    The queens’ entrance looks were as eclectic as ever, this group of fan favourite girls really are a mixed bunch.

    Trixie Mattel was the first to roll on in, the crown-less drag superstar of season seven. She claims to be here to make amends, feeling like an all star after her run on the show but never during. Being such a well-liked talented queen, many are theorising that Trixie will be the crowned winner of this season. She has strong competition, that’s for sure, and from what we’ve seen so far Trixie needs to step up her game to snatch the crown – which I low-key want her to do. I think she’s proved she’s the one to beat off the show but now’s her time to separate from the herd and make herself known to those who maybe don’t follow her work off Drag Race.

    Zaddy’s home! Milk’s runway look is a denim Pinocchio inspired look, that’s truly Milk. She’s mainly been doing modelling after her run on the show, and rumours claim she doesn’t get very far on All Stars which is a shame – her out of the carton thinking makes for such interesting, artistic drag. Only time will tell, though. Her commentary is certainly interesting, I don’t remember Milk being this outspoken on the last season.

    The trashbag queen with a heart of gold, Chi Chi DeVayne, brings with her the swampiness that we loved from season eight. She claims that she has her mind and her drag together, the full force of the dancing queen will be upon us this season. Truth be told, she isn’t exactly off to a great start.

    Next to walk in is Thorgy Thor, who Chi Chi says is always talking about how she didn’t win because of Bob the Drag Queen, the season eight winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Even her reads during the mini challenge revolve around Bob, and she claims to have found ways to focus this season so I guess we’ll see how well she does. To quote Chi Chi, “There ain’t no Bob here, let’s see what you got.”

    A season two queen, Morgan McMichaels exclaims, “I look pretty good, for a dead bitch.” The other girls react pretty well to her, calling her fierce competition and a workhouse, someone to beat. She’s definitely as sharp-tongued as ever, immediately formulating her own plan when the rules are set out by Ru.

    Aja wheels in next, on a scooter, having some unfinished business. Her approach this time around, fresh off season 9, is just to be more lax about everything. Having felt like the ugly duckling of her season, she’s back with some new additions to her face a la some plastic surgery, with a confidence that she definitely channels in the challenges.

    BenDeLaCreme stumbles in next and, I’ve got to be honest I never saw what everyone loved about her, but she’s clearly still as favourable as ever wanting to, yes, win the crown but do so with kindness and integrity. “You don’t have to be a bitch”, she says, which I can definitely stan but immediately afterwards she makes a comment about Valentina that doesn’t sound too congenial and Milk – in her one-on-one interviews – calls her out for being fake.

    Kennedy Davenport glitters as she walks in next, wearing an outfit we would have never seen her brave on her season, boasting how much she’s grown. She wants to dance her way to the top and immediately sticks to Chi Chi, who claims they’ve developed a very close mother/daughter relationship. Trixie even calls them the same person. How much she’s grown, however, is up for debate as she launches into her old attacking habits when Shangela gives her two cents about Aja returning and Kennedy shuts herself down before being called “the mean one” of the season again. At least she knows when to quit, now.

    Speaking of Shangela, haleloo, she’s back and the third time’s the charm. Shangie’s definitely racked up a lot more experience since her two-time stint on the show, working in television, film and even headlining her own Vegas strip show! Not having seen her in season 3, I was definitely excited for her to shine on again in All Stars and boy did she bring it.

    Lot’s of people speculated about this season’s 10th queen and the controversial pick turned out to be none other than the season one winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race – Bebe Zahara Benet. Never having seen the first season, I didn’t know anything about Bebe. The queens were all pretty intimidated by her, since she’s the only one of them to actually already have a crown, but she hasn’t been on since 2009. If she wins she’ll be the first queen in herstory to have two crowns under her belt but even if she doesn’t, despite some people thinking she has no place on All Stars, I think this is a great way to re-introduce her to the younger viewers who (like me) don’t know much about her. From what I’ve seen, though, I already love her – she’s definitely one to keep your eye on.

    Ru definitely seems to be banking on the success of the second season of All Stars

    RuPaul meets the queens after introducing Bebe, setting out the rules of the game which mostly follow AS2. Each week, the top 2 queens will lip sync for their legacy and the winner will receive a $10, 000 tip + the power to eliminate one of her fellow queens. Morgan McMichaels is instantly very vocal about her plan to eliminate competition – finally a queen who is honest about playing the game. All Stars 2 was about being friends with the winner (Roxxxy Andrews making it as far as she did is proof of that) which Shangela echoes later, when they’re talking about how to decide who to eliminate – their consensus broke down, which is why I was confused as to why everyone came for Morgan when she said what she said. She’s playing the game and everybody else better do the same rather than kumbaya like last season and have another Roxxxy slip into the top four.

    While there were some good zingers in the mini-challenge, I can’t help but compare it to All Stars 2 where the one-liners were stronger and fresher and funnier. Everyone came for BenDeLa and her absence from the drag scene since her season, but she proved once again how funny she is and won the challenge.

    Charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent – bigger and better than ever

    The real tea is that the variety talent show didn’t have much variety.

    Shangela started it off performing an original song, complete with a quick-step dance routine, outfit change and a death drop that was very well-received both by the judges and the crowd – landing her in the top. The judges loved the dancing, the way she commanded the room as soon as she walked out, but the bodysuit she had on was basic.

    Bebe followed her, also performing a dance number but one that was inspired by her African culture. The beautiful outfit she revealed flourished with the beat, making her one of the four safe queens.

    Thorgy’s violin number was a bit of a snooze, to me at least. The judges loved her jumpsuit and the way she married classical music with drag but Vanessa Hudgens clocked her for being bashful, wanting to see her own her fierceness. She made it to the top.

    Aja came out with a dance number to her original track that had everyone shook. I mean, we knew that she could dance but nobody was expecting her to bring it like she brought it, sis. RuPaul even shouted, literally nobody was ready. She raised the bar and, as Ross Matthews said, jumped off it. When asked about what made her come out of her shell, Aja said this time around she didn’t care what anybody had to say about her and Mama Ru told her to just “jump on their ass”. She was one of the two winners of the challenge.

    Kennedy followed Aja, and maybe that was the reason I wasn’t really into her dance number – since she was the fourth to do it – but she spun and kicked and flipped off and onto the stage. She was, deservedly, safe.

    Ben brought a re-vamped comedic burlesque show, throwing off bra after bra with more exaggerated nipple tassels every which way. Her shtick was, the judges said, stunning and the comedy was great. She was the other winner.

    Chi Chi’s flat jazz shoes, lack of padding and poor wig choice made for a poor fifth dance performance which the crowd cheered her for, but neither the queens nor the judges were all that impressed. She looked beautiful but the shoe and the hair flopped and landed her in the bottom.

    Morgan’s mediocre lipsync of her original track, which she performed for the first time tonight, was nerve-filled and mostly performed to the queens rather than the judges. According to Matthews, the way she usually controls the room was lacking in this performance. Despite looking amazing, wearing a bodysuit Michelle Visage called her favourite, she was also in the bottom.

    The last two performances were a live country song by Trixie, that was well-liked and made her safe, and a paper runway show by Milk that the queens were over immediately but that made her, also, safe. They both blended into the background in this episode, doing average and being okay with doing average – according to a behind the scenes World of Wonder video. Trixie said being safe, in a group of such talented girls, was a compliment.

    The Lip Sync

    The deliberations were exactly like they were in All Stars 2, one-on-ones with the queens who won and the bottoms saying the same generic lines of acknowledging their mistakes but wanting to continue fighting. Ben put it well, saying her and Aja’s position was like “the worst double-edged sword”. She claimed to want to play fair and not help herself personally, which is all fine and dandy, but when it came down to her eliminating the bottom queen – I was a little suspect of her decision.

    The lip sync itself wasn’t the best we’ve had (I, personally, don’t think Alyssa Edwards vs. Tatiana will ever be beat) but it was finally a Nicki Minaj song. Aja busted a few good moves but, ultimately, Ben’s comedy won her out – and with the amount of screentime she got during the lipsync, it was no wonder – so she launched into a monologue about a unanimous consensus among the group that Morgan went against, defending her choice based on that. The queens were pretty silent while Ben talked backstage about how they reached decisions last All Stars, but they certainly didn’t agree on conforming to one way and if she had based it off of the judges’ critiques Chi Chi would have definitely gone home. Milk was onto something when she said Ben was trying to play congenial and appeal rather than be authentically herself. So she sends Morgan home, based on a group consensus that nobody really agreed to, but in the workroom when she picks up that trophy, behind her are Chad and Alaska donning the same creepy red robes with a message from RuPaul that promises something wicked this way coming. Morgan stays, confused, wondering if someone will tell her what’s going on when the screen cuts black and the episode comes to an end.

    Predictions

    With the Ruveals and Rureturns and Rupocalypse, it’s impossible to predict 100% accurately what will happen but I’m definitely here for #TeamTrixie, #TeamMilk and #TeamAja making it to top three – realistically, though, I think it will more likely be Trixie, Ben and Kennedy but Trixie has to step up if she wants to be serious competition.

    After Morgan, I think Chi Chi will be fine if next episode’s preview is anything to base off of – I think it’s a dance challenge – but there are lots of rumours that Thorgy and Milk don’t get very far in the competition and that BenDeLa actually eliminates herself to bring Morgan back. It’s clear they’re following the same formula as AS2, so if a queen is eliminated she might get to come back.

    What did you think of the premiere? Who’s #Team are you on and who do you want to see go home?

  • The club Violet Chachki accused of dragging her out, is considering legal action

    This is getting interesting.

    First, RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Violet Chachki, (Jason Dardo), accused the nightclub, Le Depot of “physically dragging her out” because the entertainer was not masculine enough, now the French nightclub is considering legal action.

    After Chachki’s accusations, the club was deluged with bad reviews from fans of the drag queen. It has now put forward its own version of events, saying it was ready to pursue legal actions.

    “Le Dépôt is a Gay Club that has existed for 19 years and is an institution of Parisian nights that respects all the LGBTQI communities and all the gays in particular that they have chosen to express their personality in a masculine, feminine or androgynous. The establishment is in essence a place of respect for all and all of the sexualities.

    “Violet Chachki was returned to the door of the establishment following unacceptable and inappropriate behavior and several reports of clients. Violet Chachki has posted videos of the Cruising Sex space of the establishment on her Instagram account, among others, even though this is expressly forbidden in the settlement of the establishment and that it had been reminded to him several times.
    The management of the establishment did not react at the moment because it wished to cross-check the information and to watch the videos resulting from the telemonitoring.

    The nightclub has been in existence for 19 years and is in the centre of French capital, Paris.

    The statement continues:

    “At no time has there been any judgment on the gender, physical, skin color, sex or appearance of Violet Chachki who was received within the institution without any discrimination as the whole the clientele came for a festive event as part of the Fashion Week in Paris.

    “Violet Chachki was not dismissed from the evening because she was not male enough, as she claims in her tweet: “I was just physically dragged out of the depot in Paris for not being masc presenting enough. I’m in shock and disgusted. fuck the French “(@violetchachki, 4:40 on 01/10/2017) but because his behavior was not in conformity with the rules of the establishment and the respect of the privacy of other customer in the Cruising space.

    “Violet also showed an intolerable aggressiveness towards the security personnel who remained courteous despite the insults that you can see on his video or made against the French on his twitter account.

    “The institution relays all campaigns against LGBTQI discrimination and has never been the subject of such a defamatory campaign and will initiate legal proceedings if necessary”.

    Oooo. Dramz

  • Drag Race Winner “F**K the French”

    Winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Violet Chachki has slammed the French after being physically dragged from a sex nightclub in Paris.

    The winner of RPDR Season 7 took to Twitter to slam the Le Depot nightclub in Paris, for physically dragging the winner out of the club for not being masculine enough. The DQ, who has 162,000 followers on Twitter, tweeted her alleged assault in the early hours of Sunday morning.

    Taking to Twitter Chachki wrote,“I was just physically dragged out of le depot in Paris for not being masc presenting enough, I’m shocked and disgusted. F**k the French.”

    The entertainer also uploaded a video of the incident.

    Later the Drag Queen spoke to dating app, Hornet to give more details, saying,

    “It was a fashion week party. At a club that has dark rooms downstairs for sex. I was there seeing 3 friends that were performing/dj. I wasn’t in drag but I had makeup on. I met someone there who also had makeup on but was obviously male bodied but very feminine. We tried to go downstairs to the sexy part when like 4 guys picked us up and dragged us out of the club.”

    Naturally, the incident did not go down well with the Season 7 winner’s fans, who blasted the club with messages over the treatment of Chachki, flooding the club’s Facebook page with messages of disapproval. The club itself now has over 3.5k one-star reviews on its Facebook page.

    Chacki, later withdrew the “f**k the French” comment, saying, “Obviously I love the French and I love Paris. There’s (sic) good and bad people everywhere. I was upset- and rightfully so. What a drama. Over it”

     

  • The Winners of RuPaul’s Drag Race – Where Are they Now?

    Hey Squirrel Friends, with 2018 promising to bring us two seasons of Drag Race madness (Season 10 and All-Stars 3), we thought it was time to take a look at what the winning queens are up to now – whether they’ve sashayed their way to mainstream success like a modern-day RuPaul, or been left behind like Roxxxy Andrews at the bus stop…

    The Winners of RuPaul's Drag Race - Where Are they Now?

    Bebe Zahara Benet

    via GIPHY

    Kicking things off, it’s time to shout “CAMEROON!” for Season 1 Winner Bebe Zahara Benet
    In the realms of fandom, Season 1 has taken on a mythical status due to just how hard it is to find – not available on streaming or on-demand services, it’s almost as difficult to watch as Valentina in a lip sync. As a result, the queens of season 1 are not as well-known as the ones from later seasons – despite it being an enjoyable season with some great performers such as Victoria “Porkchop” Parker (Hey Porkchop!), Tammie Brown and Ongina. Bebe Zahara Benet won the competition with fierce outfits, big hair and a lot of international influence – and she’s worked consistently ever since. She’s released several singles, recently stomped down the catwalk for Marco Marco, and is still performing Drag on a regular basis

    Tyra Sanchez

    via GIPHY

    Ah, the other Tyra.

    Beautiful, unpredictable Tyra was one of the youngest contestants ever to appear on the show, beating Raven to the crown and going on to be maybe the most controversial winner that Drag Race has seen. Not one to back down from a fight, she’s become embroiled in spats with various other Drag Race alumni and faced outrage for some of her Twitter comments. She recently (falsely) declared fellow Season 2 competitor as dead – resulting in a spat that involved fellow Queens Raven and Tatianna.

    Away from shady outbursts on Twitter though, she’s proven herself to be a real force to be reckoned with – her looks are stunning and she’s in high demand as a Drag Race performer, recently appearing at Drag Con in New York.

    Raja

    via GIPHY

    Season 3 introduced the world to some brilliant performers – Carmen Carrera, Manila Luzon and Stacey Layne Matthews amongst others. Raja gave a knockout snatch game performance as Tyra Banks, stunned with her fashion-forward outfits, and took part in perhaps the sexiest lipsync of all time – cavorting with Carmen Carrera to Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up”. Since winning Season 3, Raja is probably best known for her work with Raven on World of Wonder’s “Fashion Photo Ruview”, which provides fashion critiques on outfits worn by Drag Queens – mainly current contestants and alumni of Drag Race. Outside of drag, Raja (or Sutan) is an in-demand make-up artist, appeared in the music video for Blondie’s “Princess of Mars” earlier this year, and has just completed a summer-long run of her one-woman show, “Gawdess”

    Sharon Needles

    via GIPHY

    Beautiful, spooky and stupid – Sharon Needles won a season often considered one of the show’s best, what with Willam’s shock removal, Phi Phi and Sharon’s fierce rivalry, and literally every moment involving the large and in charge, chunky yet funky, Latrice Royale.

    Sharon’s horror-inspired drag brought something fresh to the Drag Race world – that combined with a quick wit and likeable manner made her a worthy winner, and she’s gone on to be incredibly successful. Since the show Needles has released two albums, hosted evenings of horror films on Logo TV, and even had a day named in her honour in her native Pittsburgh. Recently featuring in a fantastic interview about her love of horror films for the BFI, Sharon continues to be in high demand as a touring artist, and will be returning to the UK in both October and December this year to give us her brand of intelligent, unique and bloody drag.

    Chad Michaels

    via GIPHY

    2012 saw the arrival of All-Stars – a season that invited contestants from the previous four seasons a chance to return and compete for a place in the “All-Stars Hall of Fame”. Forcing contestants to pair up made for hugely entertaining viewing, even if the “She-Mergency” Lip Sync concept fell a little flat. Fourth season Queen and Cher impersonator Chad Michaels fought his way to the top spot, and since securing his spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame, is still in high demand both as a drag performer and as an uncannily accurate Cher lookalike. Recent television appearances included 2 Broke Girls and Jane the Virgin, and whilst Chad’s website is currently in progress, social media shows that he’s still performing – recently appearing at RuPaul’s Drag Con in New York.

    Jinkx Monsoon

    via GIPHY

    It was Monsoon season all over the world in Season 5, when the world’s best (and possibly only) narcoleptic Jewish drag queen took the crown. In a series packed with drama – from the rivalry of Alyssa and Coco through to the unholy trinity that was Rolaskatox, Jinkx’s sweet nature and sheer talent saw her rising above the rest – entertaining as Little Edie in Snatch Game and destroying Detox with an accomplished lip-sync to Yma Sumac’s “Malambo No 1”.

    Since appearing in the show Jinkx has had huge success in the theatre – appearing in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Hairspray, and in Cabaret musical The Vaudevillians. Jinkx also recently voiced a character in the tv show Steven Universe, which sparked some controversy, with some fans upset that a drag queen was voicing a character whose species had, up until then, been voiced by women. Jinkx was more than happy to set the record straight on social media, letting fans know that the character is supposed to be non-binary, something Jinkx identifies as, preferring the pronouns they/them when not in drag. This autumn sees Jinkx appearing in “Hokem Pokem” – a parody of Hocus Pocus starring Peaches Christ and Holestar, and will also be touring the UK throughout November and December in a new production of The Vaudevillians.

    Bianca Del Rio

    via GIPHY

    Season 6 got off to a sickening start with a varied bunch of Queens – rock chick Adore Delano, fishy Queen Courtney Act, and long tall glass of dairy, Milk, amongst others. Costume designer Roy Haylock stood out from the start as the hilarious Bianca Del Rio and won with a combination of humour, sarcasm, and a surprisingly big heart. Able to whip up a dress in under five minutes and read a Queen to filth in a few choice words, Del Rio has gone on to be one of the most successful winners ever. Since leaving the show she’s had several sell-out stand-up comedy tours, starred in her own film (Hurricane Bianca – worth a watch!), with Hurricane Bianca 2: From Russia with Hate, due out later this year. Bianca’s about to embark on a tour of Australia and New Zealand this November, before returning to the UK on her “Blame it on Bianca Del Rio” tour, with dates starting in Liverpool July 2018.

    Violet Chachki

    via GIPHY

    Season 7 introduced some serious fan favourites to the world of Drag Race, with characters like Katya, Trixie Mattel and Ginger Minj battling it out to take the crown. In the end, Violet Chachki ruled victorious with her incredible sense of style, her burlesque and bondage-inspired looks combining the vintage aesthetic of Bettie Page with the modern designs of Thierry Mugler. Since leaving the show, Violet has been in high demand as both a model and a performer, and can currently be seen touring the US on the Werq the World Tour.

     

    Bob The Drag Queen

    via GIPHY

    Entering the workroom “Purse First” was Bob the Drag Queen – who’d been inspired into doing drag after watching Season 1 and loving the work of Bebe Zahara Benet. Bob was a clear frontrunner throughout the competition – beating off experienced Queens such as the caustic Acid Betty, and Britney impersonator Derrick Barry. Making it to the final three with lovable Kim Chi and long-legged Naomi Smalls, Bob’s comedy skills saw him snatch the crown and reign supreme. Bob’s been a busy winner – his TV Special Suspiciously Large Woman debuted, he starred in the film Cherry Pop, and has even released his own comic book “Kickass Drag Queen”. He’s currently also touring the US in the Werq the World Tour.

     

    Alaska Thunderfuck 5000

    via GIPHY

    Originally appearing in season five of Drag Race, Alaska returned for All-Stars 2 along with fan favourites such as Katya, Detox, Alyssa Edwards and Adore Delano.

    The competition was ridiculously tough, but Alaska came out on top almost every week– and even a last-minute meltdown (poor performance in a task had her offering a bribe to Detox to let her stay) didn’t stop her from claiming that crown. Since winning she’s released a few singles, both independently and with the “AAA Girls” – (a group consisting of Alaska and fellow drag queens Willam and Courtney Act) and walked in a Marco Marco fashion show. She’s set to be touring across the US with the AAA girls over the next month, but is returning to the UK for a few shows in mid-October.

     

    Sasha Velour

    Season 9 marked a big change for Drag Race – with the show moving to main channel VH1, earning it far more viewers than ever before. A strong cast of characters entered the workshop – and whilst some disappointed (courtesy of Charlie Hides performing an entirely stationary lip-sync, and Miss Valentina demanding to keep it on…), others rose to the top, forming a final four packed full of top talent and tight tucks. A new channel meant a new concept for the finale, with the four top queens entering into a “Lip Sync Tournament”. A quick change by Peppermint and a legendary wig reveal by Sasha Velour led to them battling it out in the final lip sync, with Sasha Velour coming out on top. An artistic, intelligent and sensitive Queen, Sasha was already an established figure on the Brooklyn drag scene, publishing a drag magazine called Velour, and hosting a monthly drag show called “Nightgowns”. Work on these projects has continued into Sasha’s reign,  and she’s spending the next few months touring the US. 2018 will see her heading over to Europe and the UK with her Party Monster Ball – guest starring the drinkable Milk and legendary icon Amanda Lepore.

     

    The Future

    Think you done already done had herses? Well, think again – in a reveal almost as good as Roxxy Andrews infamous second wig, 2018 will see not one, but two seasons of Drag Race airing. January will see All-Stars 3 hit screens, with the Queens rumoured to be competing ranging from Season 1 Winner Bebe Zahara Benet through to Season 9’s Aja. That’ll be followed by Season 10, which should be airing in late spring/summer 2018. Again, Queens for that are unconfirmed – with the exception of Eureka O’Hara, returning after her knee-popping exit in Season 9.

    As the show approaches its 10th Anniversary, the fabulous engine that is RuPaul’s Drag Race shows no sign of slowing down. Filling the screens with love, pathos and a cast of sickeningly talented performers, it’s become clear that the world needs RuPaul’s Drag Race now more than ever.

     

    Can I get an Amen?

     

  • Top 10 Most Shocking Moments From RuPaul’s Drag Race

    RuPaul’s Drag Race has become a phenomenon of epic proportions in the gay community, serving us sickening looks and gag-worthy moments since its debut in 2009. Here are our 10 most fiercest, most shocking moments that left us with our wigs snatched, hunty.

    10. Violet Chachki’s Teeny-Tiny Cinched Waist

    In the “Death Becomes Her” challenge of season 7, Violet used her notoriously trim waist to her advantage. All 18 inches of it. In a sickening look that received literal gasps from RuPaul herself, Violet cinched her waist so tight she was serving numb-from-the-waist-down realness. Although she lost the challenge to Katya’s shark leg look, the outfit is legendary and will no doubt go down in herstory as one of the most wheeze-worthy – albeit most dangerous – looks ever on the runway.

    9. Tyra’s win over Raven

    Everyone knew unforgettable fashionista Tyra Sanchez was a shoo-in for top three, maybe even top two. But everyone thought fan favourite and queen of all things dark and beautiful, Raven, was the definitive winner of season 2. Needless to say, fans were as gagged as Tyra was when she was crowned the winner. Not only was their lip sync finale one of the most neck-to-neck, nail-biting sequences of the show’s herstory, I think I speak for everyone when I say Tyra’s breathless breakdown was literally the reaction of all of us watching. Same, Miss Thang. Same.

    8. Ongina’s HIV Status

    Season one was a season of remarkable firsts, for obvious reasons. But one – if not the – stand-out moment from the freshmen run of RuPaul’s Drag Race was Ongina bravely announcing and embracing her status as HIV positive after winning the Mac Viva-Glam challenge. Even today in 2017 it’s still quite taboo to talk about the subject, can you imagine the absolute courage it must have taken for Ongina to do it in 2009? She paved the way for queens further down the line to open up and talk freely about it, such as Trinity K. Bonet, as well as creating a safe, loving space and opening up the conversation for transgender drag queens Sonique, Carmen Carrera, Monica Beverly Hillz and the first trans finalist Peppermint.

    7. Adore Delano Willingly Dropping out of All Stars 2

    Many fans don’t know about the RuPaul spin-off All Stars show that brings back past legendary queens to compete in an uber-intense race to be in the Drag Hall of Fame. Adore had the briefest of brief appearances on its second season. After some extremely harsh criticism on the first day, Adore was shaken and immediately brought back to all the insecurities she felt when originally competing in season 6. In her words, she felt like she had to keep proving her drag was meaningful after so many years and although she expressed remorse over her decision on the reunion it’s still tough to watch her admit to Ru that she wants to go home. It’s also heartbreaking knowing how talented Adore is and how far she could have potentially gone.

    6. Bianca Del Rio as Judge Judy

    While this selection isn’t shocking per se, notorious insult comedy queen Bianca Del Rio slayed as Judge Judy on the season 6 Snatch Game. From her eerily accurate makeup to her impossibly snappy Judy comebacks, Bianca gave the performance Michelle Visage – among many – had been dying to see. After all, Judge Judy had never been done before and as one of Ru’s faves, it was just a matter of time. Well, Bianca certainly did raise the bar for anyone who dares to follow her act. If her standup and her consistent reads were anything to go by, Bianca was probably the only queen who could have served it like she did. Piping hot.

    5. The Season 8 Lip Sync Finale Extravaganza

    Season 8 brought us Bob The Drag Queen, appropriately titled, Naomi Smalls, also known as The Legs, and Kim Chi, makeup creative extraordinaire. These three went on to be the top contestants of their season, packing back-to-back lip syncs of original songs with choreographed performances that left the crowd roaring in the finale. Kim Chi proved dancing during a lip sync is overrated with her killer “Fat, Fem & Asian” lip sync. She wore a gorgeously gargantuan gown, while the men around her swayed with claws, and looked elegant and campy – letting loose at the end with what can only be described as gyrating. Naomi stuck to her guns, or should we say her buns, with her song, “Legs”, encompassing her passion for modelling all the while highlighting her self-appointed best feature. Bob The Drag Queen who (SPOILERS) ended up snatching the crown also snatched our wigs with her song, “I Don’t Like To Show Off”, in which – yep, you guessed it – she showed off in the best possible way. All three performances are available to watch on the Logo YouTube channel.

    4. Mimi Imfirst vs. India Farrah


    Drag is not, I repeat – not, a contact sport. Whatever was going through Mimi’s mind when she picked up India like some kind of drag wrestler is, to this day, beyond me. Her lip sync was doomed from the start, her shoddy wardrobe was malfunctioning, her dance was uninteresting and India was obviously going to be staying while Mimi was sashaying. Her solution was, apparently, to try to divert all the attention to herself but it only resulted in the judges struggling not to laugh and Ru sending her home for her poor taste and lack of judgement. Picking someone up during a lip sync is a definite no-no, but it will also always one more thing to write in the herstory books.

    3. Valentina’s Mask Debacle & The Aftermath


    I like to think I’m not alone when I talk about my love-hate relationship with Valentina. The season 9 beauty was effortlessly charming and stunning, quickly winning the judge’s approval with her unflinching ability to dedicate herself to any task and her always on-point runway looks. It was no wonder the fans felt so warmly towards her. Which was why so many were heartbroken when she was sent home for not knowing the words to her lip sync song, she tried to cover it up with her club kid mask and RuPaul ultimately had to stop the lip sync to demand she show her lips. But the truth came out when the reunion aired and fans who, like me, aren’t on the Twitterverse or up to date on their drag social media knowledge found out about the dark side of Valentina. Die-hard fans are no new thing, even to Drag Race. I sipped my tea watching queen after queen attack Valentina for a maelstrom of things; first of, neglecting to defend Alexis Michele or Nina Bo’Nina Brown while her fans incessantly bullied them was something else altogether, then Shea did most certainly not come to play, pulling out receipts the whole reunion, and apparently Farrah’s on-screen friendship with Valentina didn’t last long after the cameras stopped rolling. A black spot was marked on Valentina’s once pristine rep and the latest drag gossip has some more sins to add to her list. Red M and Ms, anyone?

    2. Roxxxy’s Double Wig Reveal

    If Don’t Pick Up A Fellow Drag Queen is rule number one on the list of things NOT to do during a lip sync, snatching your own wig is a very close second. But Roxxxy Andrews, top three finalists during season 5, proved this rule to be fine on occasion. Her lip sync against Alyssa Edwards is known as one of the most recognisable lip syncs ever to hit the stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Ru herself was gagged, Michelle whooped and hollered – when was the last time you saw Visage whoop and holler ever? Jaws dropped as Roxxxy revealed her much more hair whip-friendlier wig and rocked out to the song like she was Willow Smith herself, leading both her and Alyssa to be safe.

    1. Willam’s Sudden Disqualification

    And lastly, Willam’s out of the blue disqualification from the show lands on the number one most shocking spot on this list. Willam was a character who didn’t Rupologize over ANYTHING and her no-explanation sashay away came out of a left field. Fans had to wait until the finale to finally learn that she was breaking the rules and having secret rendezvous meetings with her husband in her hotel room. Ru, of course, couldn’t allow her to continue on in the competition (as fierce as she was) and sent her on her merry way after hurling backstage. I’m a firm believer in Willam at least landing in the top three if she had not been disqualified, a first for the show, but since leaving Willam has gone on to form the drag girl group The AAA Girls with Alaska and Courtney Act, write a book and even have her own talkshow on Fullscreen.

     

    Do you agree with our list? Sound off in the comments below and remember: If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?

  • Christian dating site just used this iconic Drag Race queen for their adverts – and she didn’t know

    Christian Dating site, ChristianMingle.com just used a famous DragRace star…

    Christian dating site just used this iconic Drag Race queen and she's not happy

    US TV favourite, Kelly Mantle has found herself the star of an online advertising campaign and she had no idea. The dating site, which is primarily targetted at US Christians and boasts that it’s “responsible for more Christian marriages than all other dating sites”, used a stock photo of the TV star, to which she said, “Umm why is ChristianMingle.com using a pic of me in their promo ads??”

    Kelly Mantle appeared in the sixth series of RuPaul’s Drag Race, however, she was an already known TV star before the show having starred in The New Normal, Mike & Molly and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

    ChristianMingle.com is owned by Spark Networks, a dating conglomerate, which owns a number of brands including JDate, BlackSingles, College Love and Adventist Singles.

    THEGAYUK.com reached out to ChristianMingle.com for comment.

     

  • Drag Race Allstars 3, who could they be?

    Series 9 has now ended and I feel a hole in my gayness that needs filling (I genuinely didn’t intend to put a pun there, but I spotted it and decided to leave it in). Oh, the puns!

    It is widely expected that All Stars 3 is coming (not soon enough!) and fans are already talking about who could return. We already know that Willem is out (she said so herself via a post on Tumblr which was subsequently removed, oh the intrigue) so who do you want to see in the new all-stars? Here is my ideal lineup;

    BenDeLaCreme (Season 6)

    I liked Ms de le Creme, especially her Maggie Smith. She slayed the runway on a number of occasions and I think she would put up a good fight.

    Adore Delano (Season 6 & All Stars 2) 

    Now I wasn’t sure about this one as I didn’t agree with her decision to leave AS2. I could also see that she majorly went wrong in life. So I’m torn. I’d love the old Adore back, a little older a little more experienced I reckon she could easily get through to the final again.

    Courtney Act (Season 6) 

    Simply because I like nice boys to look at.

    Laganja Estranja  (Season 6)

    RuPaul’s drag race wouldn’t be the same without a shady queen to spice things up a little. And with this mix, it would get nice n spicy.

    Bianca Del Rio (Season 6 Winner)

     

     

    I’d bet money on her to win again. But these girls would give her a run for her money.

    Sharon Needles (Season 4 Winner)

    A little bit of the extraordinary is always a good thing.

    Latrice Royale (Season 4 / All Stars 1)

    This lady is my spiritual mother. The shade, the alcoholic pink lemonade and all that sass baby.

    Morgan McMichaels (Season 2)

    Another pretty one, and hopefully this time round she has some more tricks up her sleeve (if not it’ll just be fun to watch).

    Bebe Zahara Benet (Season 1 Winner)

    The first ever winner, remember her? She mastered it with low budget challenges and even worse prizes. I say give her a crack at some Series 9 level realness.

    Trixie Mattel (Season 7)

    Again the viewing value is worth its weight in pink lemonade. I doubt she would get through to the final but it would be one hell of a show.

    Chi Chi De Vayne (Season 8)

    She came 4th, that’s some serious ability (and I think she’s a dark horse, so it’ll make for good telly!).

    Kennedy Davenport (Season 7)

    Another girl that came 4th just missing the final post. She had some killer looks for the runway and again, she’d give the girls a run for their money.

    Milk (Season 6)

    I threw Milk into the mix because, well, I’m a little drunk. I wanted someone that didn’t do that well on their season (her Julia Child was just awful in Snatch Game) and that, given some time and gin, could come back and not fcuk it up.

     

    What do you think? Is that lineup shady enough do we think? Who would you like to see in the next All Stars series?

    There is currently no fixed date for an announcement on All Stars 3 we can likely expect something soon. A life without RuPaul’s Drag Race in it is a very bland one indeed. Watch this space!

  • 10 things you never knew about Miss Hope Springs

    Hope Springs Eternal.

    The perfect antidote to election fatigue is coming to a town near you. Miss Hope Springs the former international Las Vegas showgirl is currently touring the UK with her new show The Devil Made Me Do It.  Illuminating the stage with sequins and bringing a ray of rainbow sunshine, Miss Hope Springs has a black humour and intricacy of lyrics which will resonate with anyone who has clawed their way to the top and chipped every manicured nail on the way back down.

    More than drag, Hope Springs is a composer, lyricist and comedy cabaret act, with a performance harking back to the good old days of variety shows.  A civilised evening of intelligent entertainment, witty, comedic and heartfelt songs, Miss Hope Springs will treat you to belly laughs and teary eyes in equal entertaining measure.

    A five-star evening out for anyone looking for a break from the norm.

    Shuggie Hughes delves deep into Miss Hope Springs Below:

    1. What should every woman try at least once in her life?

    I think every woman should, at least once in her life, try getting in touch with her deepest inner parts. If, like me, your husband won’t help out then get a professional in to help. It’s good to blow away those cobwebs. My husband Irving said I’m a born psychologist, or is it psychopath? Well I know it’s something to do with the mind.

    2. You have been linked to Manilow and Liberace would you say you have a type?

    I always have a thing for men with that understated masculine energy. Like Noel Coward…and your Julian Clary. He really does something for me! Liberace was just adorable. His subtle sense of style…A little on the macho side for my taste…but still.

    3. What did the devil make you do?

    You’ll have to come and find out for yourself at one of my shows darling. The Devil Made Me Do It is a tell-all musical romp down my own personal memory lane through my original songs and revealing stories from my Ritz to the pits life. And trust me…it’s not always a pretty sight!

    4. What is the best advice you’ve been given?

    ‘They’ll never buy the cow if they can get the milk for free’. I don’t know what it means …but I like the sound of it. My grandmother Elke Seltzer used to say it to me all the time when I was a little girl growing up in Paradise, Nevada (a trailer park) just outside Las Vegas. She was a strip…I mean exotic dancer.

    5. Who is your musical inspiration?

    Well as you know I am a composer and lyricist and my tastes are pretty broad. My influences go from Cole Porter and George Gershwin to bands that are totally ‘down-with-the-kids’ such as The Beatles and The Carpenters. No one can say I haven’t kept up with the times.

    6. What does fame/stardom mean to you?

    It’s a heavy torch to carry sometimes. Especially when you’re doing a quick dash round Lidyl in sequinned kaftan, huge sunglasses and matching turban-kitten heels combo, you know…when you just want to be incognito. People keep staring at me and pointing, often shouting things like ‘There she goes…I saw her she shove half a dozen of them down her Spanx.’ You get used to the attention though. I think it’s rather sweet. I don’t know where I’d be without my fans…

    7. What is on your bucket list?

    Funnily enough. A bucket…Can I have a spade and a plastic crab too? Oh and one of those little flags? Seriously though. I plan to win a Daytime Emmy, an Oscar and the Nobel Peace Prize.

    8. What are the last three items on your credit card statement?

    Vaseline, a macrame plant holder and a crate of Cif.

    9. What quote do you live by?

    ‘Carlos! Open the Sauvignon Blanc and it better be chilled to perfection or else.’ (Carlos is my husband’s delightful hairdresser pal. We all share a camper van in Dungeness. When Irving told me he was getting a little camper I was like ‘I don’t think that’s possible!’

    10. What is one thing you wish you knew when you were younger?

    To start lying about my age sooner. Once I started it was too late to go backwards. I’ve been 39 for 30 years now and I think it might be wearing a bit thin. Listen…I’m no angel…but I get by…and one word of advice for those of you who may find yourself in any kind of trouble…just say Hope told you to say The Devil Made Me Do It!

    Miss Hope Springs is currently touring the UK – Links Below:

    https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/miss-hope-springs

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Faaaabulous Ceri Dupree Show – National Tour

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Faaaabulous Ceri Dupree Show – National Tour

    ★★★| In this one man, twenty-one woman show, the Faaaabulous Ceri Dupree brings an evening of glitz, glamour and variety to the theatre. Featuring a combination of original songs, colourful characters, female impersonations, anecdotal comedy, an abundance of feathers and sequins, quick fire one liners and healthy dose of tongue in cheek sardonic barbs aimed at members of the audience, the show is unashamedly old school drag.

    Photo Credit – PR supplied

    Taking the scattergun approach to comedy, there was a good mixture of comedy, ranging from gentle observations to the slightly risqué to the downright crude, with the vast majority of the gags hitting the spot. Throw into this, a slew of characters, from Dame Edna Everage to Camilla Parker Bowles, from Shirley Bassey to Mary Hopkins and from Amy Winehouse to Gladys Pugh, there were plenty of laughs to be had.

    The show is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of success. Parts of the act were hilarious – such as the Dame Edna section, which involved copious amounts of ribbing members of the audience, whereas the Amy Winehouse impersonation fell rather flat and garnered little response. Some of the jokes were probably around when Bernadette was touring with Les Girls, and some of the relevance of the characters, such as Gladys Pugh (from Hi-Di-Hi) and Mary Hopkins would be lost on many of the younger members of the community (although gays of a certain age (like me) will find it hilarious).

    But that said, the show shone brightly in the main, especially with the original songs, some hilariously blue and innuendo filled humour, a song-laden second act and genuine warmth resonating throughout. With drag standards all present and correct, Joan Collins, Shirley Bassey, Kathyrn Jenkins, Charlotte Church and even the Queen don’t escape unscathed. As the show rounds to a close with the mirror balls spinning and the audience on their feet for a rousing rendition of I Am What I Am, you know that you are firmly in the campest of floorshows.

    The show is pure cabaret, of the ilk which is reminiscent of the old days of variety in the style of Hinge and Bracket or Danny La Rue.  What makes the show stand out is that it does away with the bitchiness and backstabbing and places the fun and entertainment value of drag squarely in the centre of the stage. Whilst there is very little here that you won’t have seen before if you had been knocking around the scene in the eighties, the show ups the ante of the pub cabaret circuit and delivers a quality and style of show which is becoming harder to find on the scene.

    Slick, polished and with more laugh out loud moments than anticipated, this is a show which will either take you back to your youth, or show you how it used to be done properly.

    The Faaaabulous Ceri Dupree Show was reviewed at CAST in Doncaster, who have a varied and packed programme of shows and is a cultural gem in the heart of the city. Visit https://castindoncaster.com/ for details. The show is on national tour and details can be found at http://www.ceridupree.co/index.html