RuPaul's Drag Race

For the current season, see RuPaul's Drag Race (season 7).
RuPaul's Drag Race
Genre Reality competition
Directed by Nick Murray
Judges

Theme music composer RuPaul Charles
Lucian Piane
Opening theme "Drag Race Theme"
Ending theme "Fly Tonight"
(Season 7)
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 8
No. of episodes 95 (as of April 27, 2015)
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Fenton Bailey
  • Randy Barbato
  • Tom Campbell
  • Steven Corfe
  • RuPaul Charles
  • Pamela Post
  • Mandy Salangsang
Camera setup Multiple
Running time 42 to 48 minutes
Production company(s) World of Wonder Productions
Distributor Passion Distribution
Broadcast
Original channel Logo
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Original run February 2, 2009 – present
Chronology
Related shows RuPaul's Drag U
External links
Website

RuPaul's Drag Race is an American reality competition television series produced by World of Wonder for Logo. RuPaul plays the roles of host, mentor, and source of inspiration for this series, which details RuPaul's search for "America's next drag superstar."[3] The title of the show is a play on drag queen and drag racing, and the title sequence and song, "Drag Race," both have a drag-racing theme.

Background

The show was greenlit in May 2008, according to a press release by MTV Networks. It premiered in the U.S. on, Logo on February 2, 2009.[4] On March 20, 2015, RuPaul's Drag Race's Facebook page confirmed that the show was renewed for an eighth season.[5]

In Europe, all past seasons are available on streaming service Netflix.

Format

Casting calls are announced online, where prospective contestants submit audition tapes in hopes of being cast. All contestants selected must be 21 years of age or older at the time of taping. They may be any sexual orientation, although most contestants to date have been gay men. Transgender women are eligible, and have become more common as seasons have progressed. Sonique (a season two contestant) became the first openly transgender contestant of the series when she revealed her status as transgender during the season two reunion special. Monica Beverly Hillz (a season five contestant), became the first transgender woman to reveal her status during the competition. The other transgender contestants have begun transitioning after their elimination. Carmen Carrera, a season three contestant, announced her transition during an episode of ABC's Primetime: What Would You Do?[6] Season four contestant Kenya Michaels announced her own transition via Facebook and Twitter.[7]

RuPaul plays dual roles in the show. USA Today's Lifeline explains: "RuPaul the drag queen will be the final word in judging and eliminations, while RuPaul the man will offer guidance to contestants for each challenge."[4] RuPaul's Drag Race uses progressive elimination to reduce the number of drag queens in the competition from the initial field of fourteen contestants (the maximum a season has started with) down to the final three, who will compete in the final challenge. Each episode (with the exception of the casting special, "recap" episode, and reunion special) follows a format consisting of a mini challenge, a main challenge, a runway walk (where the contestants model fashion on a runway, usually with a theme based on the main challenge), the judging panel, and the elimination of a contestant. There have been some exceptions to episodes, including double-elimination episodes, no-elimination episodes, and the disqualification of contestants.

Mini challenges

In the mini challenge, each contestant is asked to perform a different task with varying requirements and time limitations. Certain mini challenges are repeated from season to season. For instance, the first mini challenge of each season is a photo shoot with the photographer Mike Ruiz that includes some kind of special twist (such as being doused with water while in full drag, having a high-powered fan turned on during the shoot, or being photographed while jumping on a trampoline). Another recurring mini challenge is dedicated to "reading," which is a drag term for making insulting observations about one's peers for comic effect. The winner of a mini challenge is sometimes rewarded by being given some kind of advantage in the main challenge. As of season 7, the mini challenge comes and goes, and does not appear in all episodes of the season.

Main challenges

The requirements of the main challenge vary across each episode, and can be individual or group challenges, and initially grant immunity to the winner in the next challenge (until RuPaul announces the discontinuation of that policy mid-season). However as of season 6, immunity is no longer granted to challenge winners. The winner of the main challenge also receives a special prize for their win. In the past, challenge winners have been rewarded with custom designer clothing, cruises, and quality cosmetic items.

The goal of each main challenge involves a new theme and outcome. Contestants are often asked to design and construct a custom outfit, sometimes incorporating unconventional materials. Other challenges focus on the contestants' ability to present themselves on camera, perform with music, or perform humorously. Some challenges become a tradition across seasons. For instance, "Snatch Game" is a challenge where the contestants re-enact Match Game: the contestants impersonate celebrities of their own choosing, RuPaul stands in as host, and two celebrity guests stand in as Match Game contestants.

Judging

As of season seven, Michelle Visage, Ross Matthews and Carson Kressley are the staple judges alongside RuPaul. Visage joined the show at the start of season 3, while Matthews and Kressley joined at the start of season 7, and alternate each episode on who joins RuPaul and Visage. Past fixtures on the panel include Merle Ginsberg, who was a regular judge in the first two seasons, and Santino Rice, who held his position from the first season until the conclusion of the sixth. In certain instances, Rice was absent and replacement judging has been provided by make-up artist Billy Brasfield (better known as Billy B), Mike Ruiz, Jeffrey Moran (Absolut Vodka marketing executive), or Lucian Piane. However, due to Brasfield's numerous appearances in seasons three and four, including appearing in the Reunited episodes both seasons, Rice and Billy B are considered to have been alternates for the same seat at the judges table throughout the two seasons.[1][2]

Prior to the grande finale, the three main judges are joined by two celebrity guest judges each week. Guest judges have included Paula Abdul, Pamela Anderson, Eve, Ariana Grande, Neil Patrick Harris, Kathy Griffin, Khloé Kardashian, La Toya Jackson, Adam Lambert, Demi Lovato, Bob Mackie, Rose McGowan, Olivia Newton-John, Rebecca Romijn, Sharon Osbourne, Dan Savage, John Waters, and Michelle Williams.

The judges each provide their opinion on the contestants' performances in the main challenge and on the runway before RuPaul announces which queen is the episode's winner and which two had the weakest performances. The day before judging, the contestants are all provided with a song that they must learn the lyrics to. The contestants deemed as being the bottom two must "lip sync for their lives" to a song by a female artist in a final attempt to impress RuPaul. After the lip sync, RuPaul alone decides who stays and who leaves. RuPaul describes the qualities the contestants must have to be crowned the winner of the show as "Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent... These are people who have taken adversity and turned it into something that is beautiful and something powerful."[8] The phrase "charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent" is used repeatedly on the show, the acronym of which is CUNT. On the All Stars season, "synergy" was added to provide an explanation behind the contestants being sorted into teams (expanding the acronym into CUNTS).

Untucked

The first season of Drag Race was accompanied by a seven-episode web series, titled Under the Hood of RuPaul's Drag Race. LOGOonline published a webisode of Under the Hood after each episode of Drag Race. In this companion series, RuPaul presents a documentary of contestants' conversation in the green room, replays pertinent moments from Drag Race, and airs deleted footage.[9][10]

Starting with season 2 of Drag Race in 2010, Logo reformatted Under the Hood, increased its production budget, moved it from the web to television, and re-titled it to RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked. Logo broadcast an episode of Untucked after each episode of Drag Race. Untucked replaces the basic green room of Under the Hood with two decorated rooms that were until season 6 sponsored by Absolut Vodka and Interior Illusions, Inc.: the Interior Illusions Lounge and the Gold Bar. FormDecor sponsored the Lounge for season 6. These two backstage areas allow for separated group conversation.

In the seventh season of the Drag Race, Untucked was reverted back to a webseries, as part of the World of Wonder YouTube page. Instead of two decorated rooms, Untucked was moved back to the one room, an empty backstage space that connects to the main stage, with couches for contestants to chat on. The newly renovated version also shows more of the eliminated contestant packing their things and leaving the set to make the journey home.

Seasons

Season Premiere Finale Winner Runner(s)-up Miss Congeniality Number of contestants Number of episodes
1 February 2, 2009 March 23, 2009 BeBe Zahara Benet
(Nea Marshall Kudi)		 Nina Flowers
(Jorge Flores)		 9 9
2 February 1, 2010 April 25, 2010 Tyra Sanchez
(James Ross)		 Raven
(David Petruschin)		 Pandora Boxx
(Michael Steck)		 12 12
3 January 24, 2011 May 2, 2011 Raja
(Sutan Amrull)		 Manila Luzon
(Karl Westerberg)		 Yara Sofia
(Gabriel Ortiz)		 13 16
4 January 30, 2012 April 30, 2012 Sharon Needles
(Aaron Coady)		 Chad Michaels
(Chad Michaels)
Phi Phi O'Hara
(Jaremi Carey)		 Latrice Royale
(Timothy Wilcots)		 13 14
All Stars October 22, 2012 November 26, 2012 Chad Michaels
(Chad Michaels)		 Raven
(David Petruschin)		 not awarded 12 6
5 January 28, 2013 May 6, 2013 Jinkx Monsoon
(Jerick Hoffer)		 Alaska
(Justin Andrew Honard)
Roxxxy Andrews
(Michael Feliciano)		 Ivy Winters
(Dustin Winters)		 14 14
6 February 24, 2014 May 19, 2014 Bianca Del Rio
(Roy Haylock)		 Adore Delano
(Danny Noriega)
Courtney Act
(Shane Jenek)		 BenDeLaCreme (Benjamin Putnam) 14 14
7 March 2, 2015 TBA 14 TBA

Music

Almost all music used in the series comes from RuPaul's albums, Champion, Glamazon, and Born Naked. Exceptions are songs used during the lip-sync portion of the show.

Runway

Songs used while the contestants walk the runway have been:

RuPaul Presents: The Covergurlz & RuPaul Presents: Covergurlz 2

RuPaul confirmed on Twitter that a new album, in which each of the Season 6 contestants covered a song from his catalog, would be released. The album, titled RuPaul Presents: The CoverGurlz, was released on January 28, 2014[11]

Similar to Season 6, each of the season 7's contestants covered a song that was previously recorded by RuPaul. The album is titled RuPaul Presents: CoverGurlz2 and was released on February 3, 2015. The album also features the single "New York City Beat", a song by RuPaul featuring Michelle Visage.[12]

DVD releases

Season Release date Special features Discs
2 December 6, 2011[13]
  • Bonus scenes
  • Interviews with contestants
  • Extended reunion moments
 3
3 December 6, 2011[14]
  • Bonus scenes
  • Interviews with contestants
  • Extended reunion moments
 4
4 June 26, 2012[15]
  • Bonus footage
  • Episodes of Untucked
  • Episodes of Drag Ya Later with Jon & John
 5
All
Stars		 January 22, 2013[16]
  • Bonus scenes
  • Episodes of Untucked
  • Meet the Queens interviews
 2
5 June 10, 2013 [17][18]
  • Bonus scenes
  • Episodes of Untucked
 5
6 October 21, 2014 [19]
  • Bonus scenes
  • Episodes of Untucked
 5

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result
2009 NewNowNext Award Most Addictive Reality Star – Ongina Won
2010 GLAAD Media Award Outstanding Reality Program
NewNowNext Award Best New Indulgence
Most Addictive Reality Star — Jujubee Nominated
2011 NewNowNext Award Most Addictive Reality Star – Carmen Carrera
Critics' Choice Television Award Best Reality Series – Competition
2012 NewNowNext Award Most Addictive Reality Star – Willam
Critics' Choice Television Award Best Reality Show Host – RuPaul
TV.com's Best of 2012 Awards Best Reality Show Judge/Host – RuPaul Won
Best Reality Competition Series
2013 RyanSeacrest.com's Favorite TV Show Awards Best Reality Series
POPrepublic.tv Awards Favourite International TV Shows Nominated
2014 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Reality Show Host – RuPaul
TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming[20] Won

Criticism

RuPaul's Drag Race has been criticized for appearing to favor glamorous drag queens over comedic or camp queens. For example, Popbytes commented Drag Race has been accused numerous times of keeping some of the more unpleasant but feminine queens in the competition for the sake of keeping the drama high. However, Common Sense Media commented, "RuPaul's Drag Race combines the fashion design drama of Project Runway with the modeling excitement of America's Next Top Model to create an entertainingly voyeuristic glimpse into the performance art world of drag queens. There's plenty of over-the-top stuff, but rather than simply treating drag performers as people to be laughed at and/or scorned, the show also focuses on the hard work and talent that goes into drag performances."[21] Entertainment Weekly cited the elimination of comedian and eventual season two fan favorite Pandora Boxx as the season's most controversial.[22]

In March 2014, Drag Race sparked controversy over the use of the term "She-male" in the season 6 Mini-challenge "Female or She-male?". Logo has since removed the episode from all platforms and has addressed the allegations of transphobia by removing the "You've got she-mail" intro from new episodes of the series. This was replaced with, "She done already had herses!"[23]

International airings

Spin-offs

RuPaul's Drag U: RuPaul's Drag U is the first spin-off of the franchise, in which women compete to discover and develop their female potential through drag. They are counseled, mentored and given makeovers by Drag Professors, who are contestants from "Drag Race." As the series is filmed in Los Angeles over a month's time, the majority of the professors are queens who reside in Southern California.

Beyond Belief: On April 15, 2013, RuPaul confirmed on Twitter that he would be the executive producer of a spin-off show featuring Alyssa Edwards from season 5.[31] Alyssa Edwards confirmed on Twitter that his spin-off would be titled Beyond Belief[32] and in an interview with Queerty, revealed that the series will be centered around his dance company based in Mesquite, Texas.[33]

RuPaul's Drag Race UK: On April 3, 2014 UK chat show host and presenter Jonathan Ross told UK newspaper Daily Star that a UK version of the show was in the works. With Ross's company producing the show and with it being fronted by Jodie Harsh rather than RuPaul. Ross said "I’ve been working with Jodie on a UK version of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Unfortunately we have had to take a break because of some family issues. But we’re hoping to pick it up again in the near future. I am definitely serving ‘middle-aged-realness!’"[34]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Ep. 16, Episode 16, Season 3: Reunited!". Logo TV.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Peterson, Brian. "Legendary Makeup Artist and RuPaul Drag Race Judge Billy B. Eats Boys for Breakfast, Specifically "New Queer on the Block"". Seattle GAY Scene.
  3. ↑ Hughes, Scarlett (May 16, 2008). ""RuPaul's Drag Race"!". Right TV. Right TV. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "RuPaul Leads Hopefuls in 'Drag Race.'". USA Today. December 1, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Logo TV Gives 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Early Season 8 Renewal (Exclusive) - TheWrap". TheWrap.
  6. ↑ Avery, Dan (May 8, 2012). "Drag Race's Carmen Carrera Comes Out As Trans on ABC’s What Would You Do". Queerty. Queerty. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  7. ↑ Lang, Nico (February 22, 2013). "Breaking ground: An interview with Precious Jewel on RuPaul's Drag Race". WBEZ91.5. Chicago Public Media. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  8. ↑ RuPaul's Drag Race Insider Clip (October 8, 2008). "WOW TV". Wow.wowtv.tv. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
  9. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race Season 1". Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  10. ↑ Corfe, Steven (February 9, 2009). "Under the Hood of RuPaul's Drag Race". The WOW Report. World of Wonder. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  11. ↑ "iTunes - Music - RuPaul Presents the CoverGurlz by RuPaul". iTunes.
  12. ↑ "iTunes - Music - RuPaul Presents CoverGurlz2 by RuPaul". iTunes.
  13. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 2". LOGOOnline Shop. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  14. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 3". LOGOOnline Shop. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  15. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 4". LogoTV Shop. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  16. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars". LogoTV Shop. Retrieved May 14, 2013.
  17. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 5 Uncensored". Amazon.com.
  18. ↑ Spargo, Chris (April 18, 2013). "Get ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 5 On DVD Now Hunties". NewNowNext. newnownext.com. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  19. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 6". Amazon.com.
  20. ↑ "True Detective and Game of Thrones dominate TCA awards shortlist". The Guardian. May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  21. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race". commonsensemedia.org.
  22. ↑ 'RuPaul's Drag Race' recap: Drag mamas, Cloris Leachman, and the season's most controversial elimination!
  23. ↑ James Nichols (April 14, 2014). "'RuPaul's Drag Race' To Refrain From Using 'Transphobic Slur' In Wake Of Controversy". Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  24. ↑ RuPaul's Drag Race at lifestyleyou.com.au.
  25. ↑ "Airdate: RuPaul’s Drag Race". TV Tonight.
  26. ↑ "Burkhard H. Timm - Startseite". Burkhard H. Timm.
  27. ↑ "RuPaul - Drag Queen leszek!". PORT.hu.
  28. ↑ "Velvet Channel - Timeline Photos - Facebook". facebook.com.
  29. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race". Channel 4.
  30. ↑ "RuPaul's Drag Race coming to truTV UK in June". digitalspy.co.uk.
  31. ↑ Lloyd, Sarah Anne. "Whoa Rupaul Took Alyssa Edwards to the MTV Movie Awards". Wetpaint. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Update on Alyssa Edwards' New Spin-Off 'Beyond Belief'". Drag Official.
  33. ↑ Renzi, Dan. "No T No Shade Alyssa Edwards Takes Her Next Step". Queerty. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Jonathan Ross starts hunt for Britain’s next drag starstar - Wired - Latest Celebrity Gossip, Controversy & News - Daily Star". Dailystar.co.uk.

External links