RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 9, Episode 1
Chad: Discord! Is Chicago drag really “the bomb dot com”?
Discord: It's EVERYTHING. It's the reason I moved here. I HATE snow. So it had to be my love for drag to override the awful weather.
Chad: HA! So your name came up when I was asking about queens who've done good Gaga -- how do you feel about her presence on the show? Is it a big deal?
Discord: It's a HUGE deal!! I feel like she represents everything that drag stands for. Her constant message of love, acceptance, and over the top costumes. It's everything we as queens push for everyday. Plus, the way she got her start in underground NY clubs... to me, she's the perfect candidate to be a judge on this show.
Chad: Did you see Untucked? She literally came backstage and gave all the queens notes. It was pretty amazing.
Discord: I haven't yet! But that's so incredible. I would have literally shit myself when she walked in: first day of Drag Race. First day in the work room. Emotions are already so tense! And then GAGA walks in. I'd be Eureka.
Chad: I thought the show basically shaped this entire first episode entirely around her, but it was the better for it. Her introduction into the workroom was hilarious, and her interactions with the queens seemed totally genuine. And then I lived for her commentary throughout all the runway!
Discord: Oh yeah, I agree! I don't think it's a bad thing to have a Gaga-centric episode. Think of how many queens grab inspiration from her everyday! As a human, she feels genuine to me. I imagine even off camera she was interacting with them.
Chad: I think she clearly sat down with the producers and was like, "How can I get as much time as possible with the queens?"
Discord: Exactly!
Chad: So aside from "Ronnie," whose workroom entrances left you with the strongest impressions?
Discord: Sasha coming in with that banshee scream!! She looks incredible to me. I've always been drawn to that androgynous style of drag. High art. She's the real deal.
Chad: Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one in love with Sasha's style! I actually met her first as a cartoonist years back. And I actually interviewed her for an All Stars 2 episode!
Discord: I'm strongly rooting for her. She has the kind of look I'm always looking for on the first day. And I thought Farrah looked absolutely stunning as well.
Chad: Farrah is definitely stunning, but I worry about the size of her personality -- there was so much going on this episode that I didn't get a strong feel for her. What did you think of Nina's mouse look?
Discord: Hahah omg she cracks me up!! It was so different than anything you typically see on this show. I think some people are gonna find what she does bizarre. And I'm sure she's ready for the hurricane of shit 12 year old fans are gonna rain on her. But I'm always rooting for someone who's willing to change the perspective of what people typically view as drag.
Chad: Yeah, I expect BIG things from Nina, honestly.
Discord: Oh she's gonna be great tv. I'm ready for all her solo commentary.
Chad: I didn't LOVE Eureka's outfit, but she definitely made a strong impression. She essentially dominated the whole workroom discussion in those opening scenes.
Discord: Yeah, Eureka's personality really sat strong with me. That's what really drew me in. I didn't remember her initial outfit, but I remembered her personality. And I think that can still go a long way. And can we just talk about how Beautiful that bitch Valentina is?
Chad: Yes, gawd!
Discord: What's she been doing drag for? Like 10 months?!
Chad: Valentina oozes style and personality.
Discord: How?? My 10 months into drag was NOT cute.
Chad: Well, so, the discussion on reddit seems to be that she had only really been PERFORMING for about 10 months, but as far as I understand, she had been experimenting with makeup and fashion for longer than that
Discord: That makes sense. Reddit has all the answers.
Chad: I think these first episodes are so tricky: Too many queens, not enough time. But this one worked really well -- I think the dual runway themes worked beautifully: the hometown aspect allowed a lot of creativity and whimsy, whereas the Gaga looks showed off polish, execution and taste. So, speaking of taste, can we discuss... hot dogs?
Discord: Oh bitchh. Shea Coulee in her hometown Chicago-style hot dog was everything.
Chad: We were all dyiiiing. I was so glad she brought such a crazy, delightful, demented look to the runway in the FIRST DAMN EPISODE.
Discord: She just exudes everything it takes to be on this show.
Discord: The hot dog shows she can be campy--outside of how everyone else knows she's clearly a style icon. As much as I love her, I admittedly didn't LOVE her Gaga look. But as a whole, I think she killed the first episode.
Chad: yeah, something about the Gaga look felt a little off. Was it the color of her hair? I don't know. But the hot dog look gave me LIFE! Filled me up with it.
Discord: You can't tackle the mechanical dress look... without a mechanical dress.
Chad: Also, can I point out that her entrance look was an outfit from her short film LIPSTICK CITY? Brilliant branding, right?
Discord: Omg right. Which right there shows she knows how to play the game.
Chad: What were some of your favorite runway looks?
Discord: Was it Eureka who had the white trash hometown look?
Chad: Yup! I thought that was pretty hilarious, too.
Discord: I LOVED THAT. It felt like something I would have done for sure.
Chad: Especially given that her Gaga look seemed really polished, such a contrast!
Discord: Oh yeah. That telephone look brought me to life.
Chad: With my artwork, I live for anything that's an interesting shape and super graphic. Her outfit was ALL OF THAT.
Discord: I really loved Farrah's hometown runway look. As a look. I get what they were saying with it not necessarily being representative of Las Vegas, though. But as a look, it was just beautiful.
Chad: I agree -- It was ornate and over the top. Maybe a showgirl needs to show more skin?
Discord: It seemed more Asian inspired to me. But her Alejandro look was spot. On.
Chad: In Untucked, Farrah admitted to Gaga herself that she DID have a reveal under that Alejandro look, but she decided at the last minute not to show it! Which makes me think that Farrah definitely has a wicked inner saboteur.
Discord: I can't imagine the feeling of knowing you're presenting a Gaga look. In front of Gaga.
Discord: I was confused by Jaymes's look. Because I thought it looked more like giraffe print than cow print. And if you're going for cow, then like, GO FOR COW. Now just an animal print dress. Especially when she seems to have that camp element.
Chad: I think we have a cast of extremely polished and talented queens, but I think Jaymes is the odd one out. I really like Jaymes -- I think she's funny and smart, and I absolutely like what she's *going* for. But I just don't think this is her show.
Discord: I feel like I wanted to jive with her. But I didn't like her Gaga interpretation, either. It just didn't make sense to me. Like when what's-her-name did the drunk Beyoncé for Snatch Game. Like, Gaga just isn't going to come staggering on stage. Classic case of "I misunderstood the assignment."
Chad: HA! Yes, I agree -- making fun of Gaga wasn't wise.
Discord: Or at least be clever like Alaska.
Chad: Can we agree that Nina deserved the win?
Discord: Oh yeah. Her Gaga look KILLED. She looked damn good. And it was a good way of showing she has style, too. Her Georgia peach was so unsettling. But in a good way.
Chad: Haha, yes, I think Nina is monstrously creative and unpredictable, for better or worse. Her Georgia peach look was definitely kind of freakish and off-kilter, but it worked.
Discord: I just know the queens are gonna come for her because of her unconventional looks. But it's gonna keep her on for a while, I have a feeling.
Chad: In Untucked, she talked about how much she's struggled, how she's still living at home with her parents. I feel like she's going to get a "Chi Chi" story arc about making the most of limited resources and surpassing expectations. Plus, she's really funny and presents some of the least conventional (and most memorable) looks this show has ever seen.
Discord: And her coming in with a suitcase of paper... genius.
Chad: I love it when I see queens who are nerds like me: she's basically shaping herself into a comic book superheroine with those wild, wild proportions.
Discord: I'm definitely curious what Michelle is going to have to say about her makeup style.
Chad: Yeah, as a visual artist, it's interesting to see someone who literally draws cartoon characters onto herself. I don't always agree with every choice she makes, but it's so compelling! Do you have any early predictions about how this season will go?
Discord: I think we are gonna see a lot more drama this season as opposed to last.
Chad: And who will be the prime instigators?
Discord: I can definitely see personality types that won't mesh together: Nina. Aja. Kimora.
Chad: And Eureka, right? And Trinity! Man, there's going to be A LOT of drama.
Discord: Yeah. It'll make for great tv, for sure. And while everyone's fighting, Sasha and Shea are gonna sneak right to the top.
I'll slowly be adding this season's art to my Etsy store, so keep an eye out for that! The sketches included in this week's post are actually postcards that I send out to my supporters on Patreon every month!