ALL STARS 2: Episode 4
Chicago's own Valentine Addams joins me this week! She's a colorful, cartoony confection, and she is great. (Photo by Eric Magnussen)
Chad: When I'm thinking about an episode of the Drag Race, I feel like there are three main parts that I'm evaluating: the drama, the challenge, and the runway. This week totally delivered on the drama and runway, even if the challenge was the typical, cringe-inducing acting schtick. What did you think?
Valentine: Oh my god, yeah, it's as if the acting challenge wasn't even important this episode. All looks! All drama! I'm not mad tho.
Chad: As a queen, are you into the drama? Or does it feel fake, just part of the editing?
Valentine: I'm totally into the drama, but that's what makes the show so good. The drama sometimes feels a little exaggerated, but who doesn't love a good "rattlesnake noise"?
Chad: Does Phi Phi deserve all the hate she's getting online?
Valentine: I don't think anybody deserves hate like that. I'm not the biggest fan of Phi Phi's, but I'm not going around threatening her or hating her on the internet.
Chad: What do you think a queen should do if she feels she's been treated unfairly on the show? Try to set the record straight?
Valentine: I think actions speak louder than words, honestly.
Chad: So, you would advise against tons of angry tweets about the show, then?
Valentine: Yeah, absolutely. This show is the reason you are famous to any extent. So why are you biting the hand that feeds you?
Chad: I mean, I would be totally furious if I felt like someone took my own words out of context and turned them against me. But I guess that's the nature of the beast!
Valentine: Yeah, I get that. But you know what you're signing up for. Especially the second time around.
Chad: Which runway looks were your favorite?
Valentine: OMG Roxxxy!!! I literally couldn't stop myself from just screaming like a girl!
Chad: Everything was SO RIGHT with Roxxxy's look -- the movement, the wild proportions, the fabric.
Valentine: And of course Alaska! I mean who didn't love Alaska's look? Katya's was also amazing.
Chad: Katya's was kind of simple, but the sheer insanity of her transformation was just... devilishly delightful. Who would even think of snatching their own bangs off??
Valentine: Yeah, I feel like her outfit was simple. But it was those details that just made it sooo amazing.
Chad: I asked my friends, "Wait, where did that pentagram come from? What just happened??"
Valentine: Haha, it was so good.
Chad: I didn't see that she had snatched her own hairpiece -- I thought she had stamped the pentagram on her head just then! I don't know. Devil's work. Phi Phi's outfits were actually quite lovely! Just a little underwhelming.
Valentine: I liked the blue prince look, and then wasn't as into the yellow dress, myself.
Chad: I thought Alaska's reveal of Lil' Poundcake was probably one of the absolute highlights of this season. It was so. Perfect. I found her makeup transfixing! The way she transformed her face to give that "don't fuck with me" expression was EVERYTHING.
Valentine: Yeah. You couldn't stop staring at her. And it was obvious that mama Ru couldn't, either.
Chad: The fact that she was able to lip sync in character so perfectly was the final cherry on top. Phi Phi's performance was fine, but it fell far short of that kind of genius.
Valentine: Yeah, I agree. It's hard to top Lil' Poundcake hahah
Chad: Do you feel like Alyssa had been coasting through the competition with her comedy? Did she get a free pass just because she's Alyssa?
Valentine: No. I actually think Alyssa did really well up until this challenge. This one was a hard one. It's getting tougher and tougher to pick out the obvious bottom Queen.
Chad: Yeah, I agree that Alyssa was entertaining and, as she said, she hadn't been in the bottom as much as some others. I feel like this is a television show, and Alyssa makes for GREAT television, so frankly, I don't know how I'm going to watch without her on it. But I agree -- it's just going to get more brutal from here! It seems like basically half the queens will be in danger of going home each week!
Valentine: Oh yeah. And it's hard to say who I want to go home next. They are all really strong and giving it their all.
Chad: Well, I think it's fairly safe to say that, if Phi Phi lands in the bottom again, she'll be an easy pick for the others -- she just hasn't been proving as competitive a contender!
Valentine: Yeah, I agree with you there.
Chad: I mean, she's certainly a competitive person, just not... you know.....
Valentine: Good?
Chad: Of the queens who have been sent home, who are you hoping returns??
Valentine: I'm not gonna lie. I want Tati to come back.
Chad: Me tooooooo! Or Alyssa. But Tati is just really exciting, and I want to see more. Do you have any other favorite drama or T about this episode?
Valentine: Yeah, I really loved the way the had the girls on the other side of the mirror. It was just so good!
Chad: That was ICONIC!!!! I'm wondering if it was awkward for the queens behind the mirror to just stand there silently, looking pissed. Wouldn't you want to shout something out??
Valentine: Omg yeah! I probably couldn't help myself from giggling lol
Get more of Valentine on her Instagram! You can also find her performing at Berlin's Drag Matinee and hosting/twirling at Queen! at Smartbar. (Photo by Adam Ouahmane)
As always, you can find most of this week's work at my Etsy store if you want to decorate your walls with prints and postcards! If you'd like custom art or sketches, you can check out my Patreon page!