RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 14

May 21, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Joining me for my final installment of DRAG RACE ILLUSTRATED is Shanté DéTroit, a fabulous Chicago queen and good friend of mine!Chad: What did you think of this reunion/finale/crowning?

Shanté: I thought this was the best reunion yet. It stayed entertaining from the beginning until the end, and they had a few surprises!

Chad: I did really appreciate how many jokes, ridiculous dance numbers, and emotional moments they packed into this finale. Generally, I'm really skeptical of the format they've used for the last few years, but they pulled this one off!

Shanté: Exactly! In the past it almost felt anticlimactic. This finale was definitely a spectacle, and they got it right down to the camp and glamour.

Chad: What did you think of the red carpet looks some of these queens brought? Did you see any vast improvements from what you saw earlier in the show?

Shanté: Well, Milk turned up the glam factor, and I thought she looked like Madonna!

Chad: I LOVED Milk's Glamazon.

Shanté: April Carrion was from another planet, and it was stunning. I felt like Trinity could have said "Bitch, SAY I don't look like Beyonce now."

Chad: Vivacious looked like the Space Queen to Trinity's Space Princess look from the first episode!

Who were you most excited to hear from onstage?

Shanté: You know, to be honest, I wanted to hear from Magnolia Crawford in hopes she had an epiphany. I desperately want a spin-off season of Drag Race called "Redemption" to happen. Unfortunately, Magnolia didn't seem to have any growth since her infamous leave.

Chad: It seemed like she did have a way of putting a slightly positive spin on some of the negative comments she's made--essentially saying, "Look, I want to remember the good times and not acknowledge the reality of how I came across." Even though Ru quickly punched a hole through that paper-thin argument.

Shanté: You can see those moments where Ru becomes even more real and tries to engage, and you could see the moment when he gave up on Magnolia.

Chad: Yeah, and it's a shame--I dig her quirky sensibility, just not her social incompetence. Magnolia is not one for tact or diplomacy. Whereas Kelly has handled her position really well--making light of leaving the show so early, owning it, staying positive and fun.

Shanté: She came across very poised and grateful--She seems like a lovely person.

Chad: Were you excited to get some more time with Gia? She's sort of become a camp icon among the Drag Race queens, hasn't she?

Shanté: Absolutelyyyyy.

Chad: I really enjoyed her outlandish outfit, and I couldn't resist drawing it! That dragon! Yes!

Shanté: Yes, her look was amazing. The hoop skirt reminded me of her Chanel bag and I think these big circular looks are pretty unique to her.

I thought she was sincere in the realizations she's had about drag since being on the show.

Chad: Yeah, I think she is authentically crazy and cooky, but it made for great television--and some legendary catchphrases.

Shanté: Yes, the other night, I was at a party, and every five minutes I heard someone was feeling their oats.

Chad: What did you make of Laganja? Has she grown any more self-aware since the show has aired?

Shanté: Slightly.

Chad: I cringed when Laganja pulled out her YES MAMA voice. Like, really?

Shanté: Exactly! It's like, WHY?! I literally remember sitting there and turning to my friends and saying "still!?!"

It seemed like there was a moment of truth in showing gratitude toward Alyssa, BUT it became so overshadowed by Trinity. Her honesty and truth came across so beautifully that it almost made Laganja's seem affected or prepared.

Chad: I think Trinity should have been an even larger star this season. She brought such grace, polish, and style to the stage.

Shanté: She was channeling her idol, but being herself. It's really inspiring.

Chad: So, let's talk Dela.

Shanté: How much time do we have?

Chad: Ha! I've been pretty candid about my undying adoration for her. What are your thoughts?

Shanté: I could talk Dela all day. She's become one of my favorite queens.

Chad: What do you think you respond so emotionally to?

Shanté: It was seeing her perform live, being able to meet her and learn about her past.

As a newer queen still kind of figuring out the direction I see for myself, it was great to see queens like Dela and Milk who present very original ideas and are still well respected.

Chad: Do you feel like you share a campy sensibility with her? Or is it something more than that?

Shante: Actually, the queen my style is probably most representative of would be Adore, which I can admit made me feel bitter toward her in the beginning!

Chad: And how do you describe that style?

Shanté: Like the sexiest girl in the trailer park. Honey Boo Boo and the hottest girl in your high school sharing a beefy crunch burrito.

Chad: Man, you're making me hungry.

Shanté: I'm always hungry.

Chad: So, I really, really thought Adore was going to win this thing. Especially after her funny and heartfelt conversation with Ru during this episode.

Shanté: When Ru was announcing [the winner], I just kept hearing "Adore Delano," as if it just rolled off the tongue better.

Chad: It would just be so EXCITING to see what she could do with the fame and the fortune.

Shanté: I think we'll still see. Willam, Detox and Alyssa are all proof that placement in Drag Race doesn't make or break a career.

Chad: And the runner-up can go on to do amazing things! Alaska, Manila, Raven....

Shanté: Yep. I'd argue that some queens are even more successful than the winners.

Chad: I love the feel of Adore's new music video, even if the hunky guy she cast is kind of bland and Midwestern.

Shanté: Haha, there is nothing wrong with bland Midwestern boys! I happen to be one.

Chad: Me, too, but I feel like Adore deserves better than you or me. Maybe it's aspirational?

Shanté: Maybe someday WE can be in Adore Delano's video.

Chad: For something that felt so inevitable for so long, it was actually something of a surprise that Bianca won it, right? Adore really gained a lot of momentum later on in the season, but sort of like Alaska last year, it seemed to come a little too late to overcome Bianca's lead.

Shanté: Yeah, they did great still making it suspenseful. Bianca was the front-runner for weeks, and I'm glad she won.

Chad: I love Bianca, and she deserved the win, though I'm curious about what she'll do during her reign as America's Next Drag Superstar. She's forged herself in nightclubs, hosting gigs and talking shit about her audience. So where does she go from there?

Shanté: Disney Land. I want her to read all the princesses because she is the QUEEN.

Chad: Ha! She'd give them poison apples and steal Prince Charming.

Shanté: And then she'd help Dopey sew a dress and cinch his waist so he can start his drag career.

Chad: Ha! But what made us fall in love with her was the warmth and candor she showed in the workroom throughout the season, and I wonder whether we'll ever see that side of her again!

Shanté: Her adaptability was part of her genius, so I'm sure she'll find a way.

Shanté: I almost thought she would get Miss Congeniality too. Just give Bianca all the awards.

Chad: No, Dela definitely deserved that $2500 giftcard to Overstock.com!

Shanté: One of my favorite quotes starts out: "To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children... this is to have succeeded," and I think it sums up Bianca's big win.

Chad: Do you have any other thoughts about the reunion? Did it prompt any thoughts on the season as a whole?

Shanté: I secretly wanted whoever won to break the crown in half and start throwing pieces to the other girls, who are all Spring Fling Queens. I mean... Drag Superstars.

Chad: I thought it was a really fabulous season with some amazing queens. There wasn't any central villain, for better or worse, so there was a certain lack of urgency, or stakes. And since Bianca was such a powerhouse from the start, that sense of drama was missing, too. What do you think?

Shanté: The season was great because they did find ways to keep it interesting and throw some curveballs. The cast was so unique and strong that by the Top Three, there was almost apathy and a consensus that any of them could win and "we wouldn't be mad." That made it a little less passionate than seasons past where people were losing their minds over the prospect of Roxxxy winning. BUT in a way that lack of drama was refreshing.

And the theme of Drag Race, which really is about loving yourself and others, really resonated this season--from Josyln getting married, Darienne's parents coming around, and showcasing the many forms of self-expression with queens from Gia to Vivacious. It was beautiful.

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Special thanks to Shanté (aka Shane Kalminski) for joining me in this final discussion of the Drag Race! She'll be performing at Anna's 30th Prom Birthday Bash on May 25th, and she still needs a date. She'll also be in QUEERPOCALYPSE at the Mayne Stage Theatre in Chicago on August 23rd!

And thanks to YOU, Drag Race fans, for making the sixth season such a great experience for me! It's been so fabulous to share in my excitement about these queens and to hear your thoughts on each episode!

If you'd like to hear more of my thoughts about the season, I discussed the Drag Race (and more!) with Marc and Fausto from the FEAST OF FUN Podcast, so check that out! (Previous Drag Race Illustrated commentator TinTim joined us, too!)

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I'm gathering my best work of the season into a book collection called 60 QUEENS, which is now available for pre-order! It's a full-color, 32-page book, 5.5" x 7.5". I'll be sending it to the printer this week, and then I should be able to ship it out a few weeks after that! The pre-order price is $12, which includes shipping. (I'm only able to take pre-orders from within the US for 60 QUEENS, but it will be available on Etsy for international orders once it's printed!)

And as always, I have my latest Drag Race work available as 11" x 14" digital prints! (Click here to see the rest of this season's work on Etsy!)

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 13

May 14, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

I'm going to keep it short and sweet this week, folks! Since the Drag Race aired its clip show Monday night, there's not a lot to kiki about! Traditionally, I like to take RPDR's "recap week" to revisit some outfits and moments that I didn't get a chance to draw earlier. From your feedback, the overwhelming consensus was to draw two particular looks--and I was eager to illustrate both! Plus, I couldn't resist two different animations of some of this season's goofier scenes.

I loved Dela's depiction of Bianca during the puppet mini-challenge--just one of her many shining moments. There certainly wasn't any lack of goofy challenges this year. And obviously, there was a wealth of talent among these queens.

My main complaint about the season as a whole is that the depictions of these queens sometimes felt heavy-handed and manipulative. There weren't any major rivalries or conflicts that monopolized the season, which was largely a good thing. However, it seemed like the tension that did arise among some of the queens seemed forced or fabricated. But yes, I know, it's TV.

And it was a good season! For those of us who have been watching the show since the beginning, maybe certain stretches of it felt predictable or repetitive.

But in the end, it's all about the talent. And besides the queens, Ru was able to showcase her skills, too!

I particularly loved Ru's ridiculous performances last week during the shoot for her music video!

This look of April's was one of the standouts of the season. She has some seriously gorgeous style, and I wish she had lasted longer on the show to bring more of it to the runway.

Bianca's black and white gown was the other recommendation I got from your feedback. At first, I wasn't sure what to do with the fairly simple silhouette of this outfit, but in the end, I had some fun with it!

At this point, it seems crazy to think of any other queen snatching the crown next week. Except that Adore has emerged as such a stellar talent!

So.... it should be interesting!

I'll have one more guest commentator to discuss next week's reunion--I'm sure there will be plenty to talk about!

As always, check out my Etsy shopand The Sellout Store to get the latest prints of your favorite queens!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 12

May 07, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Dixie Lynn Cartwright joins me this week to discuss the Drag Race! She's a soft-spoken Southern belle with a sweet voice and a sharp tongue, and we dig deep into the final four contenders for that crown.Chad: After this season's controversial split premiere, were you surprised that the format of this finale wasn't, well, a surprise? It seemed very "by the numbers" in the tradition of past seasons.

Dixie: I'm so glad it wasn't, honestly. Change isn't always the best direction to go in. We have fallen in love with this show, in part, to the formulaic nature of it. Yes, surprise us in the beginning. We are just so excited it's back, we'd watch 2 premieres and a bonus hour of the queens eating tamales...BUT it's the finale. We are emotionally invested. We are a little tired. Don't fuck with us too much. No matter what happens, we will feel all the feels, we don't need any extra feels, ya know?

Chad: That's a good point, especially after last week's wrenching episode. Well, it was hard for me, at least, to see Dela go.

Dixie: Girl. She's not dead. She was allowed to live and return to Seattle. Her exit though, with the mirror? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Chad: Ha! Yes, I know. Thank you, I will wipe away the tears and summon the strength to continue this vitally important discussion of reality drag queen television.

Dixie: The children need us. Let's carry on.

Chad: So is it good or bad that we don't have a "bitch" in the final three?

Dixie: I don't know what your feelings are for Darienne, but her comments (however edited they may be) seemed so insecure, it stopped being entertaining for me. I didn't love to hate her. I just didn't love her.

Chad: She's definitely thrown a metric ton of shade throughout the season. However, it seemed to peak in the middle few episodes with Dela. Ever since the other queens called her out in Untucked, she's made a major attitude adjustment. Honestly, I feel like she really hasn't done anything objectionable over the last few episodes. Do you disagree?

Dixie: No. Nothing that I was super offended by, but she just isn't exciting to me. Yes, she's pretty, but any other girl would be read HARD for those outfits and that hair.

(Chad's note: I really like Darienne, and I'm glad she left on a high note! Plus, she seems to actually read this stuff sometimes, so... hi, Darienne!)

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Dixie: Adore has absolutely 100% grown on me. I...cough, cough...adore her. That one hurt to type.

Chad: So, here's my overall thesis about this episode: There wasn't any major drama, no huge conflicts among the queens. Instead, the show was all about picking apart each of the final four's own strengths and weaknesses and watching them struggle with their issues.

It seems like Adore was struggling with a lot of the same things she has been all season-- refining her looks, maintaining her focus.

Dixie: My experience in Chicago has been with mostly newer queens, myself included. So when they read her on her look or inability to focus her persona, I identified completely. Yes, I thought her shake-and-go wigs were terrible...but we've ALL been there. You take it out of the bag, give it a couple good shakes, plop it on your head and think "I'm pretty. This is fine." It isn't until you see pictures of yourself standing next to someone who clearly owns a brush that you think, "maybe that was a mistake."

My heart went out to her because once you're in that competition, you're stuck. There is no wig shop, dress shop, etc. She knew she wasn't up to par with everyone else, but there wasn't much else she could other than perform the hell out of everything.

And she did.

Chad: I do agree with you--she KNOWS she doesn't have the years of experience that Darienne, Bianca, and Courtney do. It must be a constant struggle for her to convince herself she deserves to stay there. But man, during her music video shoot, she was pure star power.

Dixie: THAT was her saving grace to me. You knew that SHE knew that she wasn't up to snuff and there wasn't much she could do about it. As condescending as it may have been, Courtney was spot on when she said that Adore looked like her from 10 years ago. Polish doesn't happen in 2 years. That's why I have 2 favorite instagram filters.

Not to get too serious here, but it reminds me of an Ira Glass quote that I love:

“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit.”

Chad: It boils down to "you're going to suck for a long time." (insert drag queen joke here)

Dixie: Adore is magic when it comes to music videos. The rap challenge. This challenge. She's unbeatable.

Chad: So, here's my thought: Adore could totally win this.

Dixie: I didn't think so until this episode.

Chad: The show loves an underdog. She's a star. Maybe even a superstar? And she would, by far, benefit the most from that prize money.

Dixie: She's got talent. She's got a brain. The look will absolutely come. You know there are people lining up to make dresses and wigs for that beautifully-talented hog-bodied bitch.

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Dixie: Can we PLEASE talk about Courtney's speech at the end to the judges? PLEASE.

Chad: Ha! Sure! What are your thoughts about her appeal for the crown?

Dixie: "I'm already a drag superstar in Australia." Done. I don't want to hear anymore.

In her sit down with Mama Ru, RuPaul JUST said that she needs to show a little more vulnerability...and she leads with "I'm already a drag superstar?!?!"

I can't. I just can't.

Chad: So, yes, I agree. Not a good move. BUT, I do have to say that I find Courtney to be one of the most intriguing and complicated queens this season.

Dixie: Complicated? In what way?

Chad: I think she really is quite observant and calculating, to the point that the other queens referred to her as a robot. Her immaculate sheen of perfection helps, too.

I thought her challenge this episode was to finally show us her messier side, and I was happy to see her excel in the improv and lip sync shoots.

Dixie: I didn't feel her improv showed the messy side. I thought it was a good performance. Glasses askew and a straw in your does not a mess make, Courtney. She should've borrowed a wig from one of Adore's wig bags.

Chad: Ha! I think she does have depths, and she can surprise, but I agree with her assessment that she's been in "work mode" throughout most of the season.

Dixie: Here's the deal though. I love her. I really was afraid that I'd hate her for being so great because I'm a terribly small person, but she's hard not to fall for. I just don't think she's America's Next Drag Superstar.

Chad: Well, right, she's not going to win. But I was happy to see her do well throughout this challenge, and I do like her a lot. Though I don't LOVE her, and that's her problem.

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Chad: So, it seems like Bianca hasn't gotten a ton of attention over the past few episodes. My best guess is that the producers wanted to give some of the other contestants some more momentum to make them viable contenders.

Dixie: I must warn you: I fell for her...and I fell hard. She can do no wrong.

Now, let's get into what she did wrong.

Chad: Ha! I don't think she did anything wrong, it's just that the other queens needed some time to catch up to her!

Dixie: I feel like she was winning the competition way too early on. The producers did a wonderful job in highlighting the other queens in the past few weeks.

Chad: It's sort of how Jinkx took the lead early last season, and then Alaska gained a lot of steam just a little too late.This year, it still seems like Bianca has, by far, the most vocal fan base. And rightly so! But I think Adore could still pull through.

Dixie: Do you think Adore has a harder time of winning because a young, talented, unpolished girl won last season?

Chad: No, if anything, I think Ru and the producers LOVE an underdog! And in Bianca's shadow, Adore is certainly that.

Dixie: I know that all the girls will have careers after the show, but looking over the girls' work in this season, you want that work to be honored. For me, that means putting the crown on that big, beautiful clown head.

Dixie: What are you hoping for the finale?

Chad: I'm hoping they've shaken things up from the past two seasons. I'd like to see some real, unstaged drama. Especially about how the queens have reacted to their portrayals on the show. What does Laganja feel about how she came across? Darienne? And the looks! I expect some of these queens to BRING IT for the finale!

Dixie: That's one thing I will say for Laganja. By the end of her stay this season, my ears bled at the sound of her voice, but her looks were killing me. I loved seeing what she would wear. YES MAMA. I also hope there is an old woman in the audience so she can comment on the dryness of her vagina.

Chad: Wouldn't it be great to see some sort of live challenge? The top two lip synching onstage?

Dixie: That would be incredible. Or even better, a "do what you do best"-off. Bianca tells jokes. Adore sings. Courtney tans. I'd love it.

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Dixie Lynn Cartwright might be a fresh new queen on the Chicago drag scene, but she keeps busy! Dixie is starring as "Sleepy" in Snow White and the Seven Drag Queens, a fabulous show that runs through May 17th at Hydrate.

Snow-White-logo

She'll also bring her live singing talents to the Drag Matinee pre-show at Berlin on May 24th and to #FACE at Hydrate on June 4th!

Dixie showcases her vocal skills, dry humor, and state-of-the-art video editing on her YouTube channel--here's one of my recent favorites, her rendition of that Frozen song everybody loves.

She also posts fabulous stuff onInstagram, so follow her there, too!

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With the "Rucap" episode coming next week, I'd like to revisit some of the funniest and most fabulous moments from the season that I didn't draw the first time around. I have a lot of ideas already, but let me know what you think I've got to draw before the season's over!

This weekend, I'm bringing my comics and queens up to Canada for the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, which is a truly fantastic and free show! So I expect to see every single Canadian reader of mine to come visit me there.

If you're not lucky enough to live near Toronto, you can find my Drag Race prints, postcards, and books at my Etsy store, or right here at The Sellout!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 11

April 30, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

In this week's Drag Race Illustrated, Shea Couleé joins me for a kiki and gives me a shoulder to cry on. She's one of the fiercest queens in Chicago, but she somehow found the time to school me on the Drag Race.

Shea: What shall we talk about first?

Chad: Well! Yeesh! Obviously, I have very strong feelings about Dela.

Shea: I know! Just when you start to think the show is INCREDIBLY formulaic, they shock us all...

Chad: I think we should try to discuss some other aspects of the episode before going down that rabbit hole--it will be hard to see the screen through all my tears.

Shea: What did you think of the mini challenge? This is becoming a recurring one, and I must say I LOVE it.

Chad: I thought it was really charming and an interesting way of bringing out some shade!Dela obviously had the best with her crazy-looking Bianca puppet and her high energy impersonation of Bianca, gravelly voice and all!

Shea: The TEETH! Now THAT was just the "sock it to me" moment of it all. All of the emphasis on Bianca's big mouth--both literally and figuratively--really sold it for me!

Chad: Yeah! And in fact, we saw SO much of Dela in the workroom, so much of her fun humor, that I thought, "Wow, I wonder whether we're seeing her emerge as a serious contender?" Like, "Maybe the show is finally taking her seriously?"

Shea: She was so spot on! But I've realized that sometimes, when someone we love is about to go home, they get a lot of air time.

Chad: Honestly, all season, I've had this weird feeling that the producers weren't remotely interested in Dela. Like, even when she won, she was never really showered in praise, never given a moment to shine. And we never learned much about Ben!

Shea: I know! We get EVERYONE'S back story at one point or another. The only thing they talked about was the fact that Ben used to be overweight.

Chad: Yeah--it's really hard for me to say how much is the editing and how much is Dela--she's admitted that she is pretty guarded about Ben, even saying on "Whatcha Packin'?" that she prefers her boy self to remain in the shadows so that he doesn't distract from the cartoony personality of Dela.

Shea: I just wish we would have gotten a different angle on Ben besides the fact that she was this "character." I don't blame her for being guarded about her personal life. That's not a comfortable thing for everyone to talk about. Some individuals have really dark stuff in their pasts, and sometimes they prefer to look forward and not back.

Chad: Yeah, very well said.

Shea: Not everyone wants to capitalize on their personal pain to get professional success.

Chad: So, I wanted to talk about the two queens who, from the start, have pretty much dominated Season 6.

Shea: Bianca and Adore?

Chad: Yes, exactly. I've heard a lot of grumbling, even from Ru herself, that's it's CRAZY for a queen to come on the show if she doesn't know how to sew

Shea: YES. A girl NEEDS to know how to sew.

Chad: And you have an extensive background in costume design, right?

What are your thoughts on Adore, and specifically about her looks for the Glitter Ball?

Shea: In all honesty, I wasn't blown away by anyone's looks.

The ball challenge is my absolute FAVORITE challenge--it was the Hair Ball in Season 3 that made me WANT to do drag.

Chad: Yeah, I mean, it was Raja who got me drawing these damn queens to start with! But all season, it's been pretty clear that, among this cast of queens, there aren't many who could rival Raja on the runway. (Correction: there aren't any.) April Carrion had some fabulous looks, but her performance chops got her booted. Same with Milk!

So you weren't impressed with Adore's "diamond" look? Do you think she deserved the win?

Shea: I do think she deserved the win.

Chad: From my perspective, as someone who DOESN'T know fashion or how to construct a garment, I appreciated the subtle use of color in Adore's overall look, the dramatic impression of that wig, etc. Even though it might not have required sophisticated sewing skills, I knew I'd be excited to draw her this week!

Shea: I think they weren't really concentrating well on their categories.

EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE, dropped the ball on executive realness. Adore's was an absolute MESS, the fact that she went on the runway looking the way she did for that was absolutely awful. I think they really let her charisma carry her through that one. She, in my opinion, grasped the banji girl realness the best.

But also, how do you expect a bunch of white girls to nail banji girl realness? What do they know about being banji, besides what pop culture tells them what banji is?

Adore's diamond look really impressed me, though. I think she styled it well, made it high fashion, but also stayed true to her aesthetic. I mean Bob Mackie HIMSELF complimented her. I would have peed!!!

Chad: That's an interesting point. There's been so much discussion about drag appropriation of derogatory trans terminology, we don't hear much about cultural appropriation.

We saw that at play in the hip hop challenge, though, where Darienne explicitly said she's a white lady from the suburbs.

Shea: There are so many blurred lines within the world of drag. They of course try and tap into so many different cultures and subcultures that live within the drag community, but when you're gonna have a bunch of girls create a banji look based off of what's in their wardrobe, it's hard to expect a spot-on interpretation if it's not close to their aesthetic.

Chad: So, do you think it placed the queens in an awkward position?

Shea: For some, yes. I think the term banji isn't racially specific, I don't mean to give that impression. But it does come from a place of poverty and lack of monetary comfort. Banji girls dress to excess because they want to live the life of the rich and famous, but they're just ballin' on a budget. That's where a lack of taste comes in. But there are ways to interpret that exuberance and still make it polished.

Chad: I think you did a good job of explaining a complicated concept clearly right there.

Shea: Also, Courtney's banji girl? Not so much.

Chad: It was more grunge than banji, right?

Shea: Totally. I can see why she went that route, because she doesn't fully comprehend banji culture. But I think it speaks to Courntey's presence in the competition thus far. If there were one person who Ben should have said was sailing by, it should have been her...

Chad: Ha! Well, let's talk about "sailing" and about Bianca. It seems like Bianca and Dela are actually quite similar, despite the friction there this week. They both have a very particular character and a VERY consistent aesthetic.

Shea: Yes, though I feel Ben's character is a further departure from himself. It's clear that he is a real soft-spoken, laid back individual.

Chad: Essentially, I felt like Dela was in the bottom two because the judges felt they'd seen too much of her campy, showgirl fashion. But Bianca's fashion is even less dynamic and unexpected.

Shea: Well, Bianca's fashion is refined as hell. I GAG at some of the wardrobe she's brought out on the show, and no one can touch her wig game, even if I CAN see my reflection in her hair. It's so damn SHINY!!!! She treats her wigs how my grandma treats her sofa--covered in plastic.

Chad: Ha! I love Bianca, but I do think she's sailed through this competition. And by that, I don't mean that she's coasting at all. But rather, that she's dominated the season and there's no stopping her!

Shea: REALLY. It's her season to lose.

Chad: It seems like the queens who have been most successful on this show have been the chameleons--Raja, Sharon, and Jinkx all brought wildly different looks to the runway, with varying levels of polish. Whereas this season features a whole lotta queens who have a very clear vision for their drag and a fairly limited wardrobe: Dela, Bianca, and Darienne especially!

Shea: For me, Jinx was the Adore of her season. She was a little rough around the edges, not as polished as I would have liked. I feel like it's really hard to encapsulate all of the things that it takes to embody "America's Next Drag Superstar." I think Raja and Sharon were really great at providing alternatives to the stereotypical drag aesthetic that I think America is accustomed to. But the thing that made them so successful was their polish and their understanding of their own aesthetic and brand.

I think what tripped Ben up the most was his last outfit.

Chad: Yeah? What did you feel about it?

Shea: We had seen that about three times before on the runway.

Chad: Yeah, I think picking that rose quartz was a bad move--we had seen too much pink from her, already.

Shea: Now, she did a great job with executing a concept, but it was so overdone. If she would have come out in a really refined gown with a train and sickening updo, she might still be with us. It also just felt incredibly dated, and I think a lot of their runway presentation was hinging on that final look.

Chad: Right. Yeah, I agree--the dress was really similar to what she'd worn before, and I would have loved to have seen more elegance than showgirl.

So, here's another question I've had in mind: I asked before whether a queen should be on this show who can't sew. Well, what about a queen who can't, or at least isn't interested in, lip synching?

Shea: There will always be a queen who can't sew. It creates more drama, when someone enters a challenge with the shorter end of the stick, so to speak.

As far as lip syncing is concerned, if you aren't interested in lip syncing, find another job. That's the name of the game.

Chad: HA!

Shea: For REAL, though!

Chad: But, with Dela, I've seen her do some AMAZING numbers--singing live or lip sync--where she creates a whole ridiculous burlesque act around clever concepts. But it's no wonder that she can't wow the judges with a top 40 pop song.

(Watch the whole thing. Seriously.)

Chad: I feel like Bianca would have the same problem--I just don't think her strength or interest is in a lip sync.

Shea: Lip syncing is an art in and of itself, and I don't think people can just shrug at it. Lip syncing is about being COMPLETELY in sync with the narrative of the song, regardless of what it is. We are story tellers, and Illusionists. Putting on the physical illusion is one thing. But as a performer, you have to be able to completely lose yourself in the song. You have to convince the audience that it's YOUR story that you're telling. Darienne was in sync with the song, whereas I think Ben was trying to put on a big show. There is so much vulnerability that can be found in just connecting with a song and letting it resonate with you personally. That's where the breakthrough happens. That's the art behind lip syncing...

Chad: Yeah, I'm really glad you were able to put it that way. Darienne is a LEGIT lip sync artist.

Shea: You must be one with the song--You're not performing it, you're LIVING it!

Shea: That's what girls mean when they say a queen is LIVING. Because she's transcended the artifice of impersonating and has allowed the song to become part of her. Part of her own life story, part of her own life experience, and she's letting you peek into her soul. That's where you connect with people, and I think that's where Darienne was successful over Ben.

Chad: Is it a challenge to connect to some songs, though? Whether it's the style or content?

Shea: We are all human and we all have empathy. You have to find the common ground with the artist and allow the song to penetrate your soul.

Chad: Girl, this is like therapy. You're helping me come to terms with how things went down.

Shea: LOL! Miss Coulee, PhD. It is therapy! Why do you think I love performing so much?!

Chad: The tips?

Shea: That's a big part of it. But even if they're not pouring in, I still feel at home on the stage.

Chad: Are the queens at a disadvantage when they're performing for just a few judges rather than a crowd of adoring fans?

Shea: You're not performing for them. You're performing for yourself. And I think girls forget that when $100,000 is on the line. It's not about them. It's about you letting the song into your soul and reflecting the effect it has on you to the judges.

Chad: So given all this, the Glitter Ball, the season's progress, do you think Dela should have gone home this week?

Shea: I'm at a loss, because Dela has been a strong competitor this entire season. I just wish we would have gotten more from him.

I don't know. I just felt like Darienne fell even more short in terms of looks. But in terms of the lip sync, Darienne had him.

Chad: See, I thought Courtney and Darienne were in the bottom two, and I was curious to see that play out.

Shea: Honestly, If I could throw someone under the bus, it'd be Courtney.

Chad: You didn't like Courtney's looks? I was at least intrigued by the crazy red glitter mask-thing for her final look.

Shea: It was a red version of the blue look she did in the first challenge. A bra with some fabric draped around it. I mean, how many fashion togas can a queen pull off in each sewing challenge?

She's talented and all. But I've seen no growth from her in this competition.

Chad: See, I can't help but feel that Darienne, Dela, and Courtney have all been depicted strangely this season, though it's hard for me to say whether it's their actual performance or whether it's an edit.

Shea: VERY true.

Chad: Darienne and Courtney have both been spun as slightly catty, even though I think both are perfectly pleasant, talented individuals.

And Dela just never seemed to get the attention she deserved, but maybe that's because she didn't grab it by the throat and demand it!

Shea: I think Darienne has been villainized, but she's not as bad as I think the producers wanna make her. She has her bitchy moments, no doubt, but she's very upfront about her intentions and doesn't sugar coat the fact that this is a competition.

Everyone wants it to be Rupauls Best Friend Race. But she has a point that there is $100,000 on the line, and there's nothing wrong with a little bit of strategy.

Chad: I'm often frustrated that the bigger girls on this show always seem to struggle with their runway looks. How should they be designing better outfits for their body type?

Shea: I would say about 80% of the way someone dresses for drag is proportion. If you've read any of RuPaul's books, she talks about it all of the time.

She should ALWAYS cinch. There should always be a decent different in the size of your shoulders, waist, and hips.

If she doesn't want to cinch, Empire Silhouettes are really flattering on curvy women.

Chad: Forgive my ignorance, but is cinching the same as... a corset?

Shea: Yes. Cinching just means taking in the waist--I literally cinch with belts, though I do love a good corset. They're a girls best friend--besides diamonds.

Chad: So, basically, every aspect of being a drag queen is tremendously painful and uncomfortable?

Shea: EXACTLY!

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Thank you so much to Shea Couleé for all her insight into the art of drag. This girl seriously knows her stuff!

Shea performs all over Chicago, like, all the time. She hosts #FACE every Wednesday at Hydrate, and tonight's guest performers are Kaycee Ortiz, Precious Davis, and Lila Star. This Thursday, she'll be performing in Beyonce night at Berlin Nightclub. And this Friday, she'll be in Drag Carnage at Hydrate, followed immediately by the massive Neverland "We Love Brasil" party, which she also hosts. Every Saturday, she performs in The Naughty Cabaret at Mother's Bar downtown.

Shea also co-hosts The Tony Soto Show, a weekly podcast that's available here. She'll be hosting Milwaukee Pride on June 7th, and she'll be hosting the Hydrate Mainstage for Chicago Pridefest June 21-22! And THEN she'll be in Minneapolis June 25th for Minneapolis Pride! Sheesh!

She also shows up in my comics and Chicago Queens illustrations, and she regularly performs in Drag Matinee and Trannika's Most Wanted with Trannika Rex and Kim Chi, some of the other fabulous queens who have joined me for these Drag Race discussions!

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As I mentioned above, I really feel like we didn't see Dela's true strengths on this show. So I wanted to share some of my favorite videos of her performances, which really show off the many sides of her creative genius.

I LOVE Dela's playful use of her sexuality in this one.

Her music video parody of "Boyfriend." To die for.

The angle is awkward and some of the audio is hard to hear, but I LOVED this performance when she came to Chicago!

I could seriously go on forever, but if you'd like to see more sides of Dela, definitely look her up on Youtube! And don't throw any shade at Darienne for sending her home, either! (Pretty please?)

As always, I've got a ton of Season Six prints available at my Etsy store and right here at The Sellout, so add some queens to your collection!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 10

April 23, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Joining me this week is James Campbell, designer of DRAG BALL: The Game! We kiki about the queens rather than dissect much of the main challenge, since neither of us were especially engaged with it.

Chad: So this week's main challenge gave our queens the task of giving some grooms-to-be a bridal makeover. Do you think it resulted in fabulous drag drama, or was it too convoluted for its own good?

James: You know, I actually thought it was a little tired. I mean, we already had the bridal challenge in Season 2. The twist of "OH HEY guess what? The women you are picking mean NOTHING" was a little shady and, really, made Bianca's mini-challenge win almost pointless.

Chad: See, I thought the fake-out was pretty clever, but the overall challenge didn't really grab me.

James: Doing it with 6 people was just way too many. It was too much going on.

Chad: There were so many older white guys, they were hard to keep straight (so to speak). Why don't we start with Joslyn? Were you as enamored of her as a lot of us were?

James: Joslyn was definitely my cup of soup. I had a secret theory that she was definitely going to make the Top 3, and I was convinced that she was going to send Courtney home.

I felt like the editing was setting up that storyline, with Courtney being a bit of a bully toward Joss. I felt like it was going to be a watershed moment of the season.

Chad: I have to say, Courtney is a serious contender in this competition, and Joslyn, as fabulous as she was, certainly made it much further into the season than I ever would have expected. She really is a goofy, good-natured queen, and she's got performance chops. But her runway looks....

James: Yeah. Her looks needed a little work, but the personality and the humor were there. She was a helluva lot smarter than she wanted us to think.

Chad: The whole pre-credits scene of this episode was about Courtney and the other queens reacting to her second win. What did you make of that? Setting her up for top 3?

James: I feel confident that Courtney is going to be in the Top 3. Courtney is the villain of the season, and every Top 3 needs a villain.

Chad: A lot of the drama in this season seems to be coming from one queen getting a big head and then the others cutting her down. Dela made a few overly-confident comments early on, earning her several episodes of Darienne's smoldering wrath. Courtney's bravado earned a lot of catty comments this episode, and from the preview of next week, it looks like Bianca is the subject of some shade during the mini-challenge.

James: Well, it's about time for that one. Don't get me wrong, I worship the ground she walks on, and I want to bear her children. But I didn't sign up for this lovey, doing-Laganja's-makeup shit.

(Even though, secretly, I love her even more for that.)

Chad: Well, actually, my one concern about this season is that Bianca seems like such an unstoppable powerhouse. It doesn't seem like any other queen has a chance at the crown! Do you feel like there's any drama left if she's dominating like this?

James: That is true. I feel like America as a whole loves Bianca. We'll be PISSED if she doesn't win. But I know exactly what you are saying. Who else can anyone see winning but Bianca at this point?

Chad: It seems like Adore is being set up as a contender, the diamond in the rough. And I do love that girl. But she just hasn't risen to the level, yet, where I could see her winning this whole damn thing.

James: I think she makes the Top 3, for sure. I just feel like she's the Jujubee.

Chad: Despite the emotional trauma she probably endured, I actually enjoyed seeing her lip sync twice in a row. It really demonstrated her passion and skill.

James: I do have to say this, though. It would be really easy to give that high energy performance WHEN YOU AREN'T WEARING SHOES. I don't get these queens taking their shoes off all the time. Thank God she didn't flip her wig.

Chad: Indeed! What are your thoughts on Dela?

James: First off, boy Dela is a CUTIE, but my sex life notwithstanding...

I kinda love Dela as a person but I also kinda don't want her to make the Top 3.

Chad: SACRILEGE. Okay, defend yourself, before I come at you, boy.

James: She's lovely and adorable and I would KILL to see her live. BUT I feel like she's a bit Jinkx 2.0 and, even more....

It bothers me because I feel like she likes to play the victim. NOT in an obnoxious way like Laganja, but remember how she had that confessional last week? Where she was like, "I wish Bianca would notice when Darienne is being mean"?

David (my business partner) thinks I am an ignorant asshole for this, though, and feels like she has the biggest transformation of the entire cast and loves everything from the look to the voice change.

Chad: So, first, you are an ignorant asshole.

(Mostly kidding.)

James: No, I am.

Chad: Second, I've made no attempt to hide my undying adoration of Dela. I think she's skilled, and extremely smart. And she's HILARIOUS live--her song parodies and physicality are pure joy to behold. BUT, I really have no idea if she'll make it to the final rung of this competition.

James: There can only be a Top 3. Someone has to get cut, and I feel like Dela would benefit the most from a Final 4 chop. A la Latrice Royale.

Chad: Dela would benefit? Or the show would?

James: Dela herself.

Chad: How so?

James: I'm going to paraphrase another reality competition show. (GASP!)

After season 1 of Project Runway, the runner-up, Kara Saun, said something akin to, "I'm so glad that I didn't win. I've gotten so many calls from people who said that if I had won, they never would have called me because they would have assumed that I was too busy."

Not making the Top 3, people are going to feel like Dela was ROBBED, and they will support her even harder.

Chad: Yeah, that might be the case. I feel like the winners of past Drag Race seasons have really suffered from the expectations their fans have foisted upon them. Like, "well, what have they REALLY done?"

James: Except for Jinkx. My bestest queen.

Chad: Well, I even hear that about her! After having an outrageously successful show in New York! Whereas Alaska has continued to ascend into drag superstardom.

James: This is true. I do love me some 'Lasky. We come from the same hometown, you know.

Chad: Juneau? Anchorage?

James: Thunderfuck.

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But seriously, James really did grow up in the same small town as Alaska--he's pretty sure they shopped at the same Wal-Mart.

James Campbell also designed DRAG BALL, a fabulous party game where you pick a queen character and compete against all your best squirrelfriends.

I worked with him to design all the queens and judges for the game--we had a blast! Get your copy of the game hereor follow all the latest news on the DRAG BALL Facebook page! For more about James, follow him on Twitter!

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C2E2-logo

This week's Drag Race art is available on The Sellout Store and Etsy, so add some queens to your collection!

If you're in the Midwest this weekend, you should come to C2E2, The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo! It's a huge, spectacular show this Friday through Sunday, and I'll have my Drag Race work and comics in Artists Alley, Table E8! I'll also be in a panel discussion with GEEKS OUT about queer characters in comics on Saturday at 12:30pm! Click here for more info!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 9

April 16, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Joining me this week for The Drag Race Illustrated is the fabulous Kim Chi, one of my favorite queens in the world and a good friend of mine! She's known for her elaborate and enormous headpieces, a keen editorial eye, and her exceedingly kind personality. So don't expect us to get too shady! Chad: By this point in the season, we've spent a good amount of time with the queens. Do you feel like you've gotten to know all of them pretty well, or are there still some that haven't gotten enough screen time?

Kim: This season, I feel like they've done a great job of giving most queens evenly distributed screen time. The only queen I still feel like I don't really know as a human being is Courtney. Perhaps she's too self-aware to show her vulnerability on screen?

Chad: That's an interesting thought--I was struck by her scene in the workroom with Ru! I thought it was pretty ballsy to seek advice on how to stand apart from the others in the competition.

Maybe it's in that ambition that we'll get to know her better--she'll push herself harder, and we'll see the results!

Kim: What I REALLY want to know about Courtney is how she managed to get that giant wing to the workspace!

I've worn a wing before that was only half the size of what Courtney had on the runway, and that still took up a full car to transport to the venue.

Chad: Ha! I've heard that LA queens can sometimes have an advantage, since they're local and can bring their whole wardrobe. But you'd think there must be SOME restrictions.

Kim: It does seem a bit unfair to the queens who have to bring everything over the plane...

Chad: Well, they could rent a U-Haul, I suppose.

So, you are well known for wearing outrageous (and magnificent) headpieces and costumes--do you think that helps you appreciate wild props like Courtney's wings, or have you seen it all before?

Kim: Television is the best venue to showcase larger and over the top costumes like the wing Courtney had on! If she were to wear that giant thing in the club, she'll be bumping into the party guests left and right, and those wings will be soaked in whiskey, Coke, and other random liquids by the end. Depending on how big the stage is, she might not even make it up the stairs! Wings are really expensive and time-consuming to make, and the one she had on was definitely one of the best ones I've seen in my lifetime! I nearly died when the whole thing opened up.

Chad: With someone like Courtney, I just assume she's wildly rich and famous, and she has a whole costuming team to craft these crazy looks. Should that diminish my appreciation for her runway looks, or not? Does it matter if a queen creates her own looks?

Kim: Best part about doing drag for me is, you get to create your own fantasy, but you can also choose who you want to include in the journey of creating a look.

My friends Danielle Mnop and Jo Control (of Plastic Factory) recently helped me complete a look for a GayGlow party.

Same with Courtney, I'll bet it was a creative collaboration between her and the artist that created those wings? If she has the resource and the vision, I don't see anything wrong with artists collaborating to help a vision come to life. I've certainly learned a lot of skill sets by collaborating with other people.

There are a lot of famous queens who don't even do their own make up, but it certainly doesn't make me appreciate them less. They know what their strength and weaknesses are, and if they have the resources to bring up their polish level, by all means, they should go for it!

Chad: Eloquently put! In Untucked, there was discussion about Joslyn and Adore's outfits, which other queens dismissed as "store bought." Do you think that sort of criticism is justified?

Kim: For the audience, television or in the club, I do believe you have to sell them a 'fantasy' and show them something 'special'. Personally, I don't want to see a beautiful queen in an outfit that could've come from a department store. They can purchase pieces from those stores, but how they alter and style them is what creates a fantasy. I do love Joslyn Fox. She seems fun, sweet, and someone I'd like to party with, but her runway presentations to me always feel like 20% away from being absolutely fab.

Chad: So, funny enough, when I asked my initial question about which queen haven't we gotten to know well, this is who I had in mind: Darienne!

Kim: Darienne was a sweetheart when I met her in person when she came to Chicago. I completely understand her sarcastic sense of humor, but when she's making her snarky remarks, a lot of the times it's a joke without a punchline, which in turn translates to being bitchy.

Chad: Yeah, I definitely agree that her humor can cut too deep, though I'm sad that it's defined her time so much on the show. Honestly, I'm glad the other queens called out her negativity on Untucked--although she sort of laughed it off, I think she got the message.

Kim: Hopefully we'll be able to see more of her sweet, funny side!

Chad: So, when we get this far into the season, some of the challenges can get really tight--do you agree that Adore and Trinity should have lip synched? I have mixed feelings about that decision.

Kim: I love Adore's personality. She always seems like she's genuinely having fun with everything they do on the show. She really brings the joyous spirit of drag.

Trinity is very polished, and I love that she's able to completely change her make up with every challenge. It was such a pleasure to see her grow throughout the competition, and I wanted to see more from her. This week wasn't her time to go. Both of their lip syncs were hella entertaining to watch. I think both of them have a solid career lined up post-RPDR.

Chad: I really hope that's the case. I agree that Trinity grew tremendously throughout the show, and she's proven herself to be talented, ambitious, and a class act.

Chad: I agree with everything you said about Adore, too--though her playful personality hurt her in the interview challenge.

However, I expected Joslyn and Trinity to be lip synching--any idea why that didn't happen?

Kim: I think in terms of reality television, that would've been way too obvious for the viewers?

Chad: Yeah, that may be true--I couldn't help but feel like Ru decided Trinity's storyline had been pretty much wrapped up. And they wanted to light a fire under Adore's ass.

Kim: They've done an underdog story the past two seasons, so perhaps this season they're looking to reward a seasoned queen?

Chad: Well, Bianca certainly seems to have some unstoppable momentum. It was interesting to see her fall short in the talk show challenge.

Kim: She's an insult comic (in her own words) and perhaps not being able to insult/crack a joke at the expense of her talk show guests hindered her?

Chad: She doesn't seem to have any trouble expressing warmth and wisdom in the workroom, but maybe you're right. I was actually surprised at how many queens struggled with this challenge--who would have guessed that it's so hard to make it look so easy?

I have to tell you, I was SO relieved that Dela did so well. We only saw a short section of her interview, but she certainly seemed at ease and relatable.

Kim: I thought Darienne might be able to nail this challenge - she came across very comforting and nurturing when I met her.

Chad: Yeah, these sort of challenges can be totally unpredictable that way! And next week is the makeover challenge, which could be even crazier! I feel like those ones always end badly.

Kim: Whoever gets Bianca will be super lucky! To be able to wear that amazing custom lacefront....

I mean that hairline is so ridiculously good!

Chad: So, tell me, WHAT is your obsession with these wigs?? These are, like, some fancy custom jobs?

Kim: A lot of the times, queens have to spray their roots to hide the hairline, but you can tell Bianca's lacefronts are customed to her head, strand by strand.

Her hair game is unclockable!

Chad: Ha! Add it to the list!

Kim: No $11 wigs from Amazon on Bianca's head!

Chad: I really loved this week's runway--you know I love those outrageous costumes! Aside from Courtney's wings, were there any others that stood out?

Kim: I loved the holographic glitter on Darienne's eyelid. It pulled the sparkles in her gray dress nicely. I loved Trinity's look -- also made me wonder how she brought that delicate thing over the plane. Ben's was my absolute favorite. Her runway look was odd but pretty, and the way she walked it out sold the whole package for me.

Chad: I loved Dela's outfit, though it's so elaborate and outrageous that it was really, really hard to draw!!

Chad: If you had been in this runway challenge, what animal would you have been?

Kim: I think I would've chosen the bird of paradise, giraffe, or a pig. Probably the pig, though.

Chad: Ha! Only YOU could make that glamorous! Would you have a pig snout? Ears? A tail???

Kim: I would probably make a giant wire head, kind of like the ones seen in Thom Browne's fall 2014 collection. With a giant, glittery snout.

Chad: Oooooh wow!

Kim: But so big that I can barely fit through the runway doors.

Chad: HA! See, THIS is why I want to see YOU on the show.

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Thanks so, so much to Kim Chi for chatting with me this week!

Kim hosts DRAG CARNAGE, a monthly drag show in Chicago that she produces with NEVERLAND, an amazing group of artists and designers. Their next events are DRAG CARNAGE CARIOCA at Hydrate on May 2nd, followed that night by the “WE LOVE BRASIL” Carnaval extravaganza, which Kim describes as “a tribal circuit party that infuses party and art.” (I believe they'll also be debuting some fabulous new shirts and merchandise there, designed by yours truly!)

You can also see Kim Chi this Saturday at DRAG MATINEE, hosted by previous Drag Race Illustrated commentator Trannika Rex!

You might also recognize Kim from my own work drawing the CHICAGO QUEENS, and she shows up as a superhero in my comic THE QUEENS, which makes its print debut this Monday, at TRANNIKA'S MOST WANTED. We'll have a pre-show release party with many of the girls who appear in the comic, like Shea Coulee, Trannika Rex, Ruby Dee, and of course, Kim Chi! Oh, and this shady queen named Raja will be there, too, if you've heard of her.

(The gorgeous photos of Kim Chi were taken by Adam Ouahmane and Zapata Photography)

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As ever, you can find all my latest Drag Race art at my Etsy store and The Sellout! I'll also be posting my new Season Six postcards soon!!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episodes 7 and 8

April 08, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Joining me this week is Tim “TinTim” Jones-Yelvington, a fabulous Chicago queen and popular commentator on the Drag Race!

Chad: So, I thought these two episodes told a particularly interesting and INTENSE story--most notably about Trinity, Joslyn, Dela, and Laganja. It was almost a relief to get through them in one week! I wouldn’t want to endure Dela’s rough patch any longer than I had to.

TinTim: It was like a little movie, whole storylines began and spun out all in an evening. I wouldn’t call it cathartic exactly, but it was… intense.

Chad: I was truly a nervous wreck for about three straight hours, seriously. Seeing my favorite girl Dela go through those tortuous challenges, the lip sync, the HECKLER! Wanna dish on Dela first?

TinTim: For sure, since she’s my favorite as well. I could tell in advance they were building up for a no-elimination episode, but Ru STILL had me after that lip sync, for a split second I felt pure terror in my heart.

TinTim: What do you think about the whole Michelle thing, asking to see more of the “real” Dela?

Chad: Well, I think character queens have an interesting path to take on this show. Previous queens who’ve come onto the show with a strong character (Like Jinkx, even Sharon) ended up mostly dropping the character, except for certain challenges. As Trinity put it, when Dela’s in drag, she’s Dela. Do you think Dela’s character is holding her back?

TinTim: Well… it’s super weird at first hearing Michelle say she doesn’t know how to connect with her, given that I feel a stronger emotional connection with Dela than I do with most of the other queens who have been on the show… that probably sounds crazy and stalkerish, and it kind of is. But… I think we have to remember that she isn’t privileged with the kind of information we have about Dela -- she doesn’t know that her whole aesthetic is about finding truth and authenticity THROUGH artifice. I think Dela may have a different way of thinking about the distinction between self and art and character and identity and all that, which is part of what I’m attracted to. Like, to Dela, to play a character is potentially more true than his supposedly “true” self.

Chad: I agree--with Dela, it’s crucial to understand that her character has been carefully cultivated over years.Some queens in the past have been criticized for the fact that they keep the exact same voice and attitude in drag as out of it. Dela changes somuch when in drag that it’s understandably unnerving, especially when, as the judges do, you largely see them when they’re “on.”

She’s clearly FAR more self-aware than Laganja, who somewhat bewilderingly demonstrated a complete and utter ignorance of how she acts on set.

TinTim: SERIOUSLY. I think with Laganja, it ultimately doesn’t really matter whether she was “putting on an act” or not, the problem was that she was immature and irritating and alienated the audience. I think Joslyn nailed it when she said, “You demand attention instead of commanding it.”

Chad: Yeah, I can’t help but feel a deep sympathy for Laganja, even though I found her affect as annoying as anyone. Some people withdraw when they’re anxious or uncomfortable, others talk fast or aggressively. Laganja does a bad Alyssa Edwards impersonation and punctuates her non-jokes with a deathdrop or two.

I was really moved when, amidst the somewhat jaw-dropping UNTUCKED after Episode 8, Adore spoke up and essentially said, “The Laganja I love is NOT the queen I see when the cameras turn on.”

Did you expect Laganja’s arc to turn out this way?

TinTim: Not at all, actually. Like a lot of people, I thought they were setting her up for a fall followed by redemption after she confessed some kind of childhood trauma, and that she was one of the young ones they were investing in. Also, like a lot of folks, I thought Trinity and Joslyn might be “cannon fodder” and not as complex and cool as they’ve turned out to be.

Chad: Yeah, I was pretty shocked--despite how much I love Joslyn, I assumed she would be the queen to leave. I didn’t expect Laganja to make it to the final 3, but I definitely expected her to make it to the top 4 or 5. And where was the inevitable lip sync against Adore that all of us expected? My one hope is that Laganja sees how she came across on the show and is able to learn from it. She’s a fiiiieeeerce queen, and I can imagine that she left the show feeling shattered and bitter from the experience.

TinTim: I hope she can earn her diva stripes enough to be able to get away with lines like, “I want the whole world to hold my hand.” Because truth be told, she had some of the best dialogue of the season, I feel like somebody like Alyssa could get away with saying something that ridiculous. It’s very “C.C. Bloom is a deeply feeling person.” Except unlike C.C. Bloom, Laganja hasn’t proven herself enough to talk like that.

Chad: You mentioned that Joslyn and Trinity have grown to be more complicated and capable than a lot of us had assumed. I’m totally on board, though it makes the remainder of the season excruciatingly intense. With only seven left, it only takes one blunder or misstep to land in the bottom two, and at this point, I’ll be sorry to see any of these queens leave!

What do you make of Joslyn’s growth throughout the doubleheader TV movie we saw Monday?

TinTim: Hm. I wouldn’t say she grew exactly… although I guess she became more confident in herself in relation to her idol. But mostly I thought she continued to show that she is smarter and funnier (even if her stand up was a mixed bag) than we anticipated. But I’m actually kind of worried about how quickly everyone turned against Courtney Act for her comments… I didn’t think they were that bad. She didn’t say Joslyn was unpolished, she said she thought she was less polished, and it seemed like she did it relatively honestly and without any mean-spiritedness. I get frustrated sometimes with this show’s fans, at least the ones on the internet -- because while a lot of the time, they seem really smart and savvy, moreso than producers seem to give them credit for, sometimes they also, like, turn on a dime and become all about hating an individual based on one or two onscreen moments. It seems really unfortunate.

Chad: I think the dynamic between Joslyn and Courtney has been fascinating, though I agree--we should always be aware of the show’s editorial spin. Courtney’s essentially reaching out and saying, “Here, let me help you,” and Joslyn is upset that Courtney would think she needsthe help.

TinTim: Which on the one hand I understand, because I am an artist and I get ego, but at the same time, she is the one saying she has idolized Courtney, so isn’t that an acknowledgment that she has something to learn from her?

Chad: Good point!

You mentioned that fans shouldn’t make too much of a single comment--but what about the simmering animosity Darienne keeps expressing toward Dela? That seemed rooted entirely in one throwaway comment Dela made after her second win!

TinTim: Yeah, that whole thing is so weird and uncomfortable to me. It seems like maybe it’s just a combination of Darienne not much liking Dela’s personality, and perhaps also seeing her as her most direct competition. But again, it seems like a lot has been made of very little, even with reference to Darienne -- she has expressed her opinion, but she hasn’t DONE anything problematic, other than be mildly unpleasant, she stays semi-professional.

Chad: Yeah, I find the Darienne/Dela dynamic unsettling, too, particularly since I like both queens a lot. Darienne has had a rough go of it this season-- she lip synched in her first episode, and she’s been consistently criticized on the runway. I can see why she’d be particularly sensitive toward anyone else who’s been shining on the show.

Although I hated seeing Dela stumble through both of this week’s challenges, I think it’s the best thing that could have happened to her as a contender for the crown--she wastoo successful too early in the season, and now this has us rooting for her! Jinkx gained the most rabid fans last year when they (and I) felt compelled to stand up and defend her!

TinTim: Yeah, but I have also really appreciated Dela’s swagger in contrast to Jinkx (not that it’s fair to compare them), it just feels… draggier, more queenly. But I have also heard that Dela has really explicitly stated that she did that deliberately to avoid getting characterized as weak and unable to stand up for herself the way Jinkx did.

Chad: So, the last queen I wanted to discuss is Trinity--she had the most startling transformation over these two hours of television. At the start of Episode 7, she was practically dragged into that workroom, hiding behind those shades. Girl was overit. Ru and Bianca coaxed her out of her shell to give a pretty good performance in the commercial challenge, but I was most impressed with her stand-up set! Besides the jokes, it was her confidence and poise that really struck me, the ease with which she interacted with the audience. I was stunned.

TinTim: Yeah, this turnaround was so startling I almost distrusted it. But at the same time, as a viewer, I was totally sucked in and full of feels, I felt legit proud of her. I always respected her, but for the first time, I felt like I would be okay if she stuck around through the top 3. But then also, looking back, I don’t think her performances in some of the early challenges were as terrible as they were made out to be. She was very uncomfortable, and voiced her discomfort too much, but in the musical challenge and the horror challenge, for instance, she pulled it together and behaved professionally. I think this is because she has discipline and is a perfectionist. So in light of that, combined with the mentorship from Bianca, the transformation wasn’t AS unbelievable to me. But I am glad that people appreciate her now, I hated how mean they were being to her on social media and such.

Chad: I agree, a lot of her earlier performances did turn out pretty well, but it was the grumbling and uncertainty that preceded each of them that was the problem. Especially since pretty much all of the challenges so far have been with teams, her attitude has kept anyqueen from wanting to work with her.

Aside from her stand-up set, her shining moment this week was in Episode 7’s UNTUCKED, when she stood up for the other queens who had been picked apart--Joslyn, Laganja, and Dela. She spoke to each of their strengths, bolstering their spirits. Is she… the anti-Bianca??

TinTim: That was AMAZING. She should become the Iyanla Vanzant of drag. Does anyone remember Iyanla? It was as good or better than anything Ru has done on Drag U or in the Tic Tac lunches. Yeah, she and Bianca could team up to do a great good cop-bad cop schtick, where Bianca breaks people down with her tough love, then Trinity builds them back up like a life coach.

Chad: SOLD.

TinTim: I’m curious what you thought of the makeup challenge in general. I feel like every season, there’s at least one of these challenges -- in the past, I’ve called it the “WTF” challenge -- where it’s really hard for the queens to know what to shoot for tonally -- if you go too funny, you risk not taking the product seriously enough, but if you go too earnest, then it can flatline like Courtney and Joslyn’s. I always have mixed feelings about these “sell a product” challenges -- on the one hand, I think it’s interesting to see them try to learn how to code switch the way Ru has had to in order to function and have a long career in mainstream media. On the other hand, it’s kind of gross and like the opposite of drag’s more underground or transgressive spirit.

Chad: Well, you’re right--it’s a tricky balance. Last year, we were treated to Alaska’s unforgettable “Red for Filth” commercial, but that commercial challenge succeeded precisely because the queens were called upon to sell their own (made-up) product, not the latest thing Ru’s hawking.

I thought that the pairing of the queens for the challenge was diabolically brilliant, and it almost seemed tooeasy that each team was assigned their own theme. Dela and Darienne’s commercial wasn’t terrible, but their deranged, drugged cougars were a little too offbeat to make for a good commercial, or comedy.

TinTim: I thought it was kind of like a Cecily Strong-Vanessa Bayer SNL sketch that failed.

Chad: Yeah, the skit needed a straight man. Like, Dela would be a normal cougar, and Darienne would show up swaddled in bandages from her extensive plastic surgery, trying to act as if everything’s normal. Dela makes everything better with some thoughtful application of RU’S MAKEUP NAME for COLORLOTION.

Ultimately, I was shocked that Bianca and Trinity didn’t win--the whole arc of the episode seemed predestined for it, and nothing will ever beat the image of succesful CEO Bianca Del Rio literallyjugglingher babies on television.

Were you surprised by any of the performances in the stand-up challenge?

TinTim: Trinity surprised me, very pleasantly, as we have discussed. I thought Dela’s delivery would be a lot stronger. Other than that -- not really, I don’t think. I appreciated that they gave it to Bianca… American reality television has such a tendency to reward underdog stories and relatability over actual skills, so I always kind of like when the most truly qualified person wins, rather than the “most improved.”

Chad: I had the same feeling! I thought it would be another case of “Coco” from last year’s Roast of Ru! Bianca killed.

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Tim “TinTim” Jones-Yelvington is an author and performer in Chicago, where he walks children in nature.

He posts thoughtful (and extensive!) videos on his Youtube channel about most episodes of the Drag Race.

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As always, I've added many of this week's illustrations to The Sellout Store and Etsy.

This week, I also posted an all-ages comic (co-written with my pal Jay Fuller) called THE SORCERESS NEXT DOOR! It's about a young boy who'd rather be an EVIL SORCERESS!

It takes a playful look at gender in a way that any Drag Race fan will enjoy, so please take a minute and read the whole thing for free!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 6

April 02, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Joining me this week is Megan Marie Metzger, DePaul grad student and lady arm wrestler. She's writing her thesis on the Drag Race, and so I was excited to hear her thoughts on the show!

Chad: So what's your particular focus with the Drag Race?

Megan: Drag Race negotiates gender, class, sexuality and race constantly. It's also a sharp critique of the reality TV genre, where everything is for sale. Reality TV is often devalued as trash TV, and Drag Race is anything but trash. It totally elevates the genre while also bashing it.

Chad: How do you think Season 6 is faring so far?

Megan: Ru has completely flipped the script. We are no longer rooting for the unlikely underdog. Before the season premiere, I was Team Milk.

Chad: A lot of us were! Do you think this season is going to emphasize the importance of polish and professionalism? Bianca, BenDeLa, Courtney?

Megan: And being adaptable. Being able to succeed in any milieu because the queen has perfected her look and persona so much she doesn't have to think too hard about how she would handle a challenge.

Chad: Yeah, that's a really smart way of putting it.

Megan: Bianca is anything but the loser or the underdog. She is polished and professional and her best realized version of herself.

Chad: When you said "adaptable," I thought... "Adore."

Megan: YAAAAAAS

Chad: Adore ISN'T polished, nor super professional.

Megan: No. But she could be.

Chad: She rolls with the punches, puts on a good show, and makes for great TV. She even makes her screw-ups funny.

Megan: I love her humor. Her "drop dead" read during the library challenge was everything.

Chad: We had a lot of fun at the library this week! Those girls wrote those jokes ahead of time. Or their friends did. Maybe it was Lil' Poundcake.

Megan: At this point, if you don't come to the show with an arsenal of reads already stowed away in your Caboodle, you're doing it wrong.

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Chad: I was interested in the rap battle--and how incredibly uncomfortable some of these queens were with it.

Megan: Honestly, it could have been a lot worse than it was? I kept thinking back to the Body Beautiful, Carmen Carrera's unfortunate reggae song in season 3? Yikes.

Chad: I guess as an awkward white boy from Wisconsin, I cringe at the thought of ever being filmed trying to rap.

Megan: Like Run DMC said, "it's tricky."

Chad: I did love Eve and Trina's input--it was unusual to have two guest judges directing the challenge, rather than Ru herself, wasn't it?

Megan: Yeah, where was B-girl Michelle?

Chad: There was a lot of false bravado on the film set, but I was riveted by Adore. She brought an easy confidence to the challenge--despite her lyrical missteps, she dominated.

Megan: Adore's short asymmetrical wig--so cute.

Chad: Yeah, it was striking and so different from her normal looks

Megan: I love when she said she wanted to be Salt n' Pepa, not N Sync. Adore knows what's up.

Chad: We're starting to see an interesting dynamic emerge between Laganja and Adore--I would bet that, in the clubs where they've met, Laganja tends to outshine Adore. Laganja's presence, fashion, and WILD dance moves are true showstoppers.

Megan: They really are. And Adore is this funny hot mess.

Chad: Adore's fashion isn't as consistent, and her live-singing doesn't always work well in a club with a shitty sound system and rowdy audience.

Megan: Exactly. But this show works to elevate drag as a performance. It's not just lip synching in a bar for a dollar.

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Chad: This show loves to surprise us with a queen who emerges late in the season as a serious contender. Last season, Jinkx emerged a few episodes in, and then Alaska really only gained momentum during the second half of the season. Do you see any queens who have been overlooked that will pick up steam as the season progresses?

Megan: Definitely possibly Joslyn. But I have to say I can't imagine anyone surpassing Bianca. Dela has a shot, mayyyybe.

Chad: Courtney has barely gotten any attention the past two episodes--do you think she's got anything up her sleeve?

Megan: She is going to be a star for sure, I'm not worried about that, but, as far as this competition, Bianca has it on lock.

Chad: I love Bianca as much as anybody, but.... I'm suspicious of that. Like, WHY are the producers letting us fall in love with her from the start? WHAT ARE THEY PLANNING??

Megan: They want her to win our hearts.

Chad: But they're also building up Adore. Do you think the top 2 will be Adore and Bianca?

Megan: I do. I think it's going to be Adore, Bianca and Dela as the top 3.

Chad: Me too. Dela is my personal favorite right now. I'm just not sure if she's building the momentum she needs with the show's viewership to get the crown at the end!

Chad: What are your thoughts about Milk's departure?

Megan: Like I said, I was Team Milk all the way, but I was frankly a little disappointed by her performance on the show. It just wasn't the right environment for her, maybe, and that is perfectly fine. Milk was weird, but she unabashedly owned it.

Chad: I adore Milk as a person and as an artist. But he hasn't had the years of experience like the older queens, and he doesn't have the rabid ambition of the younger queens.

Megan: Yeah, and he is a gorgeous tall man who works at Marc Jacobs, and has a super hot ballerina boyfriend. He is doing better at life than any of the other queens, really.

Chad: I do really admire what he does with drag, though.

Megan: Me too. I love that someone who is that good looking likes to get weird. Being weird is usually a defense for people who have been told by society they are ugly (speaking from experience!) and it's great to see a guy who looks like a Calvin Klein model destroy that whole notion.

Chad: I'm excited to see what Milk does as he gains more polish and notoriety.

Megan: I don't want to admit that I was Team Milk because he was so dreamy but...I can't help it! He is fine!

Chad: And he made SUCH a great first impression. That matador look will forever be one of my favorite first looks ever, ranking right up there with Raja in my book. Literally, when I compile a book, I'll put them together in a double-page spread.

Megan: Yeah, his looks I've seen since the show taped are pretty impressive, too. He reminds me of the girls in the Batman movie with Joker smiles after they inhale the Joker's poisonous gas.

Chad: I'll miss Milk. He did us good.

Thanks so much to Megan Marie Metzger for the fabulous chat about this week's Drag Race! You can find her on Facebook , Instagram, and at CLLAW events (Chicago League of Lady Arm Wrestlers), where she wrestles as Divine Tragedy, their premiere drag queen wrestler.

As always, I've got lots of fabulous art prints of this week's Drag Race art available for sale hereand onEtsy! Celebrate Milk's time on the show with a print of one of her unforgettable looks!

Next week, there are TWO episodes of RuPaul's Drag Race airing back-to-back. I'm not sure how I'll handle that, yet. Maybe one batch on Wednesday, another over the weekend? We'll see!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 5

March 26, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Hello, and welcome to the SNATCH GAME! We've got special guest Oliver Sava from the AV Club for an exciting discussion about drag queens, jokes, and superheroes! I've been reading his work about RuPaul's Drag Race for years, and when I saw that he's also one of their top writers about comic books, I knew this was a guy I had to meet. Chad: First of all, EVERYONE is excited about the Snatch Game each season. But pretty much anyone would agree that the actual event is usually a shit show. Any ideas why it grabs our imagination so much?

Oliver: It's usually the moment that we really see which queens are going to cut it each season. Because it's an all-around test. They need to be able to capture the celebrity's look, their behavior, and show some semblance of wit in their responses and interactions.

Chad: I agree with that, but here's what I think the real hook is: It's all about the build-up, the guessing and anticipation: which character will each queen pick? Will it be a total trainwreck? Oh god, WHY would she choose HER? And the pay-off is the TRANSFORMATION, the one queen who totally blindsides you with her brilliance.

Oliver: Yeah I think that's why each Snatch Game is such a thrill.

I loved Bianca on the Snatch Game. The look was flawless. The puppet was genius. And Judge Judy gave her free reign to interrupt and read a bitch because that's just who Judge Judy is.

Chad: See, I love Bianca, she's totally Top 3 material. Girl should get her own damn show. But frankly, I'm surprised she DIDN'T dominate the Snatch Game. She had the character down, the aggressive, in-your-face attitude. But it mostly felt like an insertion of catchphrases rather than the sheer improv genius that other queens like BenDelacreme came up with.

Oliver: Dela was just so clever and so graceful. There was something so smooth about her and Adore's performance. While Bianca is harsh and abrasive, but so entertaining.

Chad: I think the other element missing from Bianca's performance was the sense of transformation--Judge Judy was almost TOO perfect a fit for her, so it didn't bring with it the sense of wonder.

Oliver: Same with Adore--A little TOO perfect of a fit.

Chad: See, I actually was really surprised by that performance. Did you think she had it in her?

Oliver: No. It was the night's biggest surprise. Her body language alone had me cackling. And the inflection. Gillian was right when she said it was performance art.

Chad: Agreed! Because Adore hadn't demonstrated that level of character acting before, it was stunning and the most successful transformation of the night.

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Chad: It seemed like we barely saw Courtney and Darienne this week--were their performances lacking, or didn't they fit the narrative?

Oliver: Everyone that was safe was barely featured, except for Joslyn, who is surprising me more and more each week. I would love it if Joslyn beat Courtney, considering how much of a Courtney superfan she is.

Chad: HA! Joslyn is so wonderful. I hope she's a breakout star of the season. I LOVED her deadpan "Cummin" delivery.

Oliver: I loved all of Joslyn's answers.

Chad: "Can I have a Pinot Grigio?"

Oliver: Joslyn's "Mr. Sheffield" killed me. Chills down my spine.

Chad: She's so unabashedly goofy and good-natured.

Oliver: Miss Congeniality, personified.

Chad: Like, the world is not pure and good enough for Joslyn.

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Chad: So, Darienne: I LOVED her deranged facial expressions and outrageous wig.

Oliver: I don't know if this was filmed before the whole race scandal, but if it wasn't, Darienne dropped a ball there.

Chad: On one hand, I TOTALLY agree, but on the other, I don't blame her for staying far, far away from any racially tinged humor.

Oliver: Exactly.

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Oliver: Dela was so so smart: The cursive writing, the "woman out of time" conceit, those facial expressions...

Chad: Here's what I especially loved about Ben's performance: The wild, magical interactions that spring up from her wit and devotion to the character.

Oliver: She had the best interactions with RuPaul and the celebrity guests, made everything seem effortless.

Chad: I love that she took an outrageous character, and all her interactions just spun out the premise further. When a clueless queen tries to clock you, you MOP THE FLOOR with them.

Oliver: And Trinity was so clueless--Can't believe she didn't write an answer for a shitty wig change.

Chad: Well, that's the thing--for the past 2 or 3 years, this show has focused on queens with a quick wit and fierce performance skills. It leaves queens like Gia Gunn and Trinity in the dust. And frankly, I think the show's focus makes for FABULOUS television, but I feel a little bad for the more traditional queens who are great at what they do, but not viable contestants.

Oliver: If you're not a viable contender, then you just don't win. If you get on this show, that is a victory in itself. Being gorgeous and cunty might get you in the door, but you're going to need to do way more than that to succeed.

Chad: Were you sad to see Gia go?

Oliver: Hell fucking no. Her horrible attitude during her exit made me ashamed that I ever rooted for her at any point.

Chad: "You guys are all still dudes!"

Oliver: Way to demean the art form you've dedicated your life to! Gia actually showed some talent when it came to female impersonation, so it's really disgusting to see her completely shed all her dignity when things don't work out the way she wants.

Chad: I look at it this way: Gia made for good TV. I NEVER root for the "bad girl," but I did enjoy the cattiness of her commentary. I think she's fairly close-minded about drag, and she stayed true to character during her departure.

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Chad: So, we covered almost everything I wanted to. Except: Milk.

Oliver: I liked that we saw where Milk's reluctance to go glam comes from. Shocker: it's insecurity. He's probably the most traditionally masculine contestant on the show out of drag and is afraid that if he tries to go for an ultra feminine look, he'll get called out for things that aren't intentional.

Yeah, bitch. It's called learning.

Chad: Milk wore some STUNNING looks to the opening events--that elaborate lacy number, the monstrous black gown...

I'm curious whether he came to embrace that side of his style during the show, or only after he left.

Oliver: Well yeah, after getting critiqued on the show, I hope he would take those criticisms to heart. If Einstein corrects your equation, you better be listening.

Chad: Ha! I would have LOVED seeing Milk outdo Ru on that stage, in some ridiculously huge wig and heels.

Oliver: Thats the thing: you go out there and risk ridicule, but hopefully learn something in the process.

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Oliver: My favorite moments are when we see how their drag personas are reflected out of drag. I loved Ben's moment about how there are qualities of Dela that he's applied to himself in order to become a stronger person. These people become the heroes they need in their lives.

And, in turn, make themselves the hero of their stories.

Chad: You and I both love superhero comics, and I suspect that's part of the reason we're also such fans of drag culture.

Oliver: Absolutely.

Chad: The idea that you can transform yourself into something greater, beyond your own limitations.

Oliver: And then how that transformation relates to the person you used to be.

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Wasn't that a great discussion? Yeesh! You can read Oliver's AV Club article on the Snatch Game here, and you can find all of his Drag Race posts here!

As I mentioned, he also writes about comics, cartoons, and more! His "author page" is a good place to find all that fabulous stuff.

Follow him on Twitter and Tumblr, too!

(To the right: Oliver Sava, serving up "genderfuck shitshow.")

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Thanks for reading, everyone! Time for my own plugs:

I'll be posting a bunch of this week's art for sale on here and my Etsy store! So check out my latest prints, look through some of your old favorites, have a good time!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 4

March 18, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Hi everyone! Joining me for this week's “Drag Race Dialogue” is the fabulous Trannika Rex! Trannika is a towering figure (literally) in the Chicago drag scene and hosts some of my favorite shows in the Windy City.

Chad: So you're known for a quick wit, and you've got some experience in comedy, right? What do you think of Season 6's heavy focus on performance so far?

Trannika: This is the best season so far because of it. There's more actual performance to look at than fake drama and awkward forced challenges.

Chad: I agree, but do you think it gives a chance for queens like Trinity and April to shine?

Trannika: The challenge was built aroundAdore and Courtney, so commit to being a good supporting actor. Don't worry about the singing, worry about the character.

Chad: So, this is my portrait of Laganja this week, after her video message from her parents. I really loved how sensitive she seemed in that moment.

Trannika: I feel sympathy for her, but not because of the reasons that I'm supposed to. She was thrown into this Drag Race machine and it's pulling some weird emotions out of her brain. She's Alyssa's daughter, but she's also a new queen.

Chad: Agreed. And she's a good one! I knew she was a great dancer, but I've also been impressed with her runway looks! They're diverse and quite elegant--I thought her runway look was one of the most distinctive and eye-catching this week.

Trannika: She's an incredibly amazing dancer and a sweet girl, and she's just uncomfortable on camera. As a viewer, I think she's just got some things to figure out, and I honestly just want to see her dance.

Trannika: Adore is kind of a mess, but she's so endearing, and she knows she's the butt of the joke. When the judges critique her, she's kind of like, “WELL DUH U KNEW WHEN U BROUGHT ME HERE.”

Chad: Yeah, I really like her, and I think her performance was gorgeous this week. Sultry, sexy, and a little self-deprecating. I've heard a lot of fans complaining that she's getting a free pass because of her charisma--do you think so?

Trannika: Charisma is a point of view thing. When I went out, I looked a mess for the first 2 years, but I could read a pretty girl down on the mic. And in my shows, I'd much rather cast a likable queen with charisma and questionable taste than a really pretty asshole. Some people have presence, and some people don't--and Adore has it.

Chad: Okay, so: Courtney. I think she's funny, smart, outrageously talented. Oh, right, and pretty.

Trannika: We all love Courtney because she's hot and foreign, so she's already on a pedestal. She's gracious, too. I loved last night's look, and the pink hair was brilliant.

Chad: Yeah, I think she knows exactly what she's getting into, so she'll have brought an incredible wardrobe along with her. I don't want to see the same fishy blonde each week, as flawless as she may be.

Trannika: I like her character. She can be minimal, but because she's working with such a pretty canvas, we're still just gagging at her beauty every week. If she wasn't so sweet, it wouldn't work so well.

Chad: What did you make of the "Battle of the Idols"?

Trannika: They tried so hard to push that storyline as drama when it was really just a great showcase of talent. It brought out the best in both of them.

Chad: What are your thoughts on Ben?

Trannika: I think she didn't yell loud enough in the pack of wolves this week, but she's no doubt one of the strongest competitors.

Chad: Yeah, I unabashedly love BenDeLa, and I was initially dismayed at how little screen time she got in the first few episodes... but it seems like they're almost giving her a "Jinkx" edit. Which is weird, since Ben was compared to Jinkx so often before the season started, given that they're close friends and work together. But they haven't made the connection on the show at all, at least not as far as I've noticed.

Trannika: But they aren't similar, really--let's be honest, she's a little more polished than Jinkx was on the show. I think they share a similar quirky charm and relatability.

Chad: Agreed! Yeah, Ben is savvy and talented. They've allowed her to surprise us in a few of these early episodes, giving us no clue about her quirky Rusical character until she appears onstage, stealing the scene!

Trannika: She's in the wings, and she shows up on the runway like BAM!

Chad: The same happened in the first episode, where they barely even showed her in the workroom, let alone talking with Ru.

Trannika: She's gonna be a breakout this season. She and Bianca can definitely be top three.

Chad: Do you think Bianca will suffer at all by being so dominant from the start?

Trannika: I think the Bianca Del Rio Variety Hour has been very successful so far--She's the queen we can all relate with.

Chad: Ha! I think you have more in common with Bianca than most queens.

Trannika: Bianca is a brilliant talent, so I agree with you. The show hasn't really had a character like her, and it's great. She calls the phony bullshit, the fake drama, and keeps the show earnest instead of overly sentimental.

Chad: Trannika, do you want to be Bianca Del Rio when you grow up?

Trannika: If I make it to forty-five, I hope I'm exactly like Bianca Del Rio. But really, Bianca is the reason this show exists. It's a parody of a real reality show, and she's the Greek chorus we need.

Chad: So, I brought up the focus on performance earlier, because I think it's tricky to construct challenges that make for good TV and test the skills a drag queen should have. I've always thought it would be hilarious to feature some challenges that cater to the actual club experience--like, well, a lot of the stuff you excel at: cracking up the audience, handling hecklers, getting people drunk.

Trannika: Try walking in heels through a goddamn mosh pit of drunk white people on St. Patrick's Day. Saving a failing room. Holding your drink in a certain way in pictures to hide a missing press-on nail.

Chad: Or getting dressed in a tiny basement dressing room with 5 foot ceilings. Yeah, I think for so many viewers of the show, they don't understand what the actual, day-to-day life of a drag queen is like. What shabby thrift store they get half their crap from, how many times you can wear a wig before cleaning it or throwing it away...

Trannika: If you just keep putting new wigs on top of old wigs, you can wear them for eternity. I call my biggest wig “King Rat”... She's seven wigs, and the underside looks like it was brushed with a garbage disposal. Drag is hard and sometimes is incredibly embarrassing, but it's also incredibly gratifying.

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Thanks so much to Trannika Rex for taking the time to talk shit with me! Trannika's show Drag Matineeis held every Saturday at Berlin Nightclub in Chicago—this week's show features both Detox and Dida Ritz, as well as one of my absolute favorite Chicago queens, Shea Coulee!

Her monthly extravaganza Trannika's Most Wanted is the third Monday of every month at Scarlet, where she also hosts every Friday night. Her favorite shot is Fireball Whiskey.

If you'd like to see more of Trannika, find her onTwitter and Instagram, or read my QUEENS comic, where she's a gigantic superhero saving and/or destroying the city of Chicago.

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 3

March 11, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Whatever you might think about the split premiere of Season 6, it made things a lot easier on me! Twelve queens are a lot to handle, especially when they're a group this good!

So I called in some help this week! Chris Kelly writes wickedly funny Drag Race recaps for GEEKS OUT, and he gives some seriously mesmerizing performances as New York queen Ariel Italic. I first saw his inventive and surprising lip synching during the Reddit "Lip Sync For Your Life" competition (which he won) and had to draw one of his distinctive looks. (Seriously, go watch the original video. The whole thing. You will not regret it.)

Chris and I got chatty and catty about this week's Drag Race episode. So read on for our thoughts and for my drag doodlings!

CHAD: Okay, so I loved this episode, and after all the drama and mixed results we got from the split premiere, we got off to a wild start with the assembled group of 12 queens. Did you like this episode as much as I did, Chris?

CHRIS: I LOVED it. This is shaping up to be the best season yet. I was skeptical of the format change, but it has paid off immensely. I can't wait to see what happens next.

CHAD: And it feels like we're finally getting a picture of how things will go, what the workroom dynamic will be like. Essentially: Bianca Del Rio slaying the goddamn house down.

CHRIS: Absolutely. She'd better stay around until the absolute end. Whenever anything happens, I immediately want her take on it. I wish she would walk around with me and narrate/throw shade on my life.

CHAD: I love that she's not only the funniest queen, but also one of the wisest, too.

CHRIS: Yeah, she's been around. But I'm worried that her image is going to get her in trouble. People don't recognize that she's just playing, and down the road I'm sure she's going to make more than a couple enemies.

CHAD: I think she does speak up and call out queens whenever she gets a whiff of bullshit, which can definitely spark some drama. I thought she was a little rough on Trinity, especially since the younger queen has already shown off some serious talent.

CHRIS: Trinity is stepping it up a little bit. She's fabulous on the runway, but she doesn't strike me as having much in the way of personality or presence. Being stylish isn't enough in my book, and I'm not sure she brings more than that. Also, Beyonce? Really? Are we not done trying to be Beyonce yet? (Apparently not.)

CHAD: So, I really warmed up to Trinity last week, and she got even more respect from me in this episode. Typically, when a queen is feeling out of her element, like Trinity in the acting challenge, a girl gets defensive or indignant. But Trinity acknowledged that she was an "acting virgin" from the start and actively solicited the others' advice. In fact, I think Trinity is one of the few younger queens who will prove receptive to the more seasoned queens' perspectives--I see a major generational gap in the cast, and we got a taste of some of that drama during Untucked between Adore and Bianca.

CHRIS: They're clearly putting forward young queens like Adore and Laganja to see if they can hang with the old guard.

CHAD: Here's how I see it: Bianca, BenDelaCreme, Courtney, and Darienne are all extremely experienced and well-rounded queens. They'll be able to handle any performance/comedy challenges with aplomb. But they're all so polished and consistent that they may not deliver drama on the runway. And that's where Adore, Laganja, Milk, April, and Trinity come in.

CHRIS: April blew me away last night.

CHAD: Yeah! The sad thing is, I've been struggling with how to draw that damn umbrella!! Milk has served up some stunning looks already, and I was seriously impressed by Laganja's runway ensemble this week!

CHAD: I LOVED this week's main challenge. I thought the 60's/80's sequel idea was particularly smart. And these acting challenges always have their fill of WTF moments.

CHRIS: Yes. And I like that we went with an acting challenge early on. Make these ladies prove that they have personality.

CHAD: And it gave me an excuse to draw this:

CHAD: The problem is that I LOVED her runway look. But I couldn't NOT draw this!

CHRIS: Totally. I love that everyone else was so skittish about being the head in the box, and she proved that skill means working with what you're given, not letting the material carry you.

CHRIS: Milk is interesting to me. I like her, but I don't love her. And I can't believe she's already repeated those leggings and heels. It's only her second episode! Like, did you not pack enough clown gear, hon?

CHAD: Well, in her case specifically, the Dairy Queens have stated that they throw out their looks after wearing them once.

CHRIS: WASTEFUL, Dairy Queens. There are drag queens in Africa who would KILL for those looks. What would their drag mothers say?

CHAD: Moo.

CHAD: There's been a lot of outcry about Vi's depiction on the show, that she got a "bad edit." What do you think about that?

CHRIS: I think she probably got a little extra emphasis on her bad qualities. The show wants to make it look like they booted the "right" person, you know?

CHAD: Yeah, I think the producers saw the same thing we did--that Vivacious has some fabulous ideas but often fails to execute them well.

CHAD: I know you're not "Team Adore," but I still think she's going to go far. Her style tends to be fairly simple, but I love that it's often based around such powerful, glorious colors

CHRIS: Yes. Adore buys $10 cosplay wigs. She's on a budget. (I know, because we own some of the same wigs.) She works with what she has, but she works it well. I couldn't make that little money look that good.

CHAD: So what are you excited about next episode?

CHRIS: I can't wait to see how the team dynamic continues to play out. It was a smart move to divide people early on, because the psychology of it has really settled in. It seems like no one is going to bridge that divide.

CHAD: And conversely, I think one of the really positive aspects of starting with the smaller groups is that each team really bonded--they all "got" each other, so there was no odd woman left out. All the girls with Vivacious seemed to respect her and regret seeing her go. Whereas in previous seasons, the first few queens who got booted wouldn't have had time to make any connections at all. Especially the quirky girls.

CHRIS: Yeah. I would love it if they all formed friendships, but realistically I don't see that happening. I think the gap will remain, but you're right, they'll defend each other to the death within their own groups now. They're like wolf packs.

CHAD: The most fabulous wolves of all!

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That was a much longer write-up than I usually post for the Drag Race, but I hope it was worth it! Let me know if you'd like me to keep chatting with Drag Race experts!

Even in such a lengthy conversation, we still missed a lot of queens. (Courtney! Laganja! April!) So I need your help! I didn't have time to finish all the illustrations I would have liked, so vote below for which sketch I should finish. I'll keep voting open until 5pm Central Friday, then I'll draw the queen with the most votes over the weekend!

[yop_poll id="2"]

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 2

March 04, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Okay, folks, SHUT YOUR PIE HOLES and listen to what I've got to say! Or, at least look at the art. Quietly. Momma Ru needs her rest.

So, I guess I'm okay with the whole "split premiere" for this season, though I wish they had aired both episodes in one glorious evening--the second installment was a vast improvement over the first one, and it's super-charged my excitement for Season 6!

Of the seven queens in this second episode, there are several superstars--Courtney Act, Bianca Del Rio, Darienne Lake. And although they were all fabulous, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the less seasoned queens made for good TV, too. "Black horse" Joslyn Fox is a cheery goofball, bringing a charming levity to the competition.

Trinity K. Bonet, who had seemed so quiet and restrained in the promo videos, turns out to be a serious contender--although she's softspoken, she's fiercely ambitious and serves it up throughout the episode. Both her looks were on point, her photo shoot was a stunner, and her low-key commentary during the cutaway interviews provided a welcome respite to the fast-paced drama. A lot of commenters have been comparing her to Tyra Sanchez, but I think she's far more engaged and likable.

I can't resist drawing a dramatic look like this one. And even though the judges dismissed the flimsy collar, I love its geometric intensity. However, I'm a little disappointed that Gia wasn't present to see Trinity's kabuki-style makeup--given that Gia has actually performed in traditional kabuki theatre, I'd love to hear her take on it! Even if it was mostly bleeped out.

Courtney and Darienne are both incredibly congenial queens, and I'm dying to see them prevail over countless challenges this season. I wasn't gagging over their runway looks this week, but I did love Darienne's lip sync. I saw her perform live last week, and she brings such a passion and sense of fun to the stage! Love her.

Bianca is one to beat. She officially wins the MVP award for this episode--she provided brilliant, blistering jokes, served up the winning runway look, and even provided the most insightful commentary in Untucked during Magnolia's hypnotic unraveling. That was especially encouraging--hearing her set up a clear distinction between her "cold bitch" character and normal self, giving some hope that we'll see real growth and character from her over the season. And seriously, I expect her to make it 'til the end!

I like both Milk and Magnolia, but they obviously approached the show very, very differently. They're both queens with an interest in playing an offbeat character, eager to thwart expectations and defy easy categorization.

I get Magnolia's quirky humor, and I enjoy her absurd Youtube videos, but she obviously didn't bring the right attitude to this show. She met every challenge and criticism with a combative sense of indignation, leading to one of the most memorable Untucked meltdowns in Drag Race herstory.

But Milk, she brings an unswerving confidence and charisma to the competition, as well as some truly divine style. There are some rough edges, sure, but Milk is the queen who's got me most excited to draw the shit out of Season 6. The over-sized, over-the-top outrageousness is what I live to illustrate. It's what got me started drawing the Drag Race in the first place, back in Season 3--Raja was my first muse, and I see a lot of her in Milk.

So you'll have to forgive me, but I had to draw both Milk's looks this week. In fact, I was so taken with Milk's matador outfit that I started drawing it as soon as I saw it in the previews! Thirsty for another tall glass of Milk?

I'm thrilled to see what sparks will fly when all twelve queens are brought together, but I'm also dreading it--how will I pick which ones to draw??

Oh, also! I'll be making my first Season 6 prints available for sale soon! I seek out each queen's blessing before selling the work, but I hope to have most of the queens on board soon!

Thanks for reading! See ya next week!

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 6: Episode 1

February 25, 2014 by Chad Sell in Blogging the Drag Race, The Sellout

Wow, so that was interesting, huh? Opinions seem split on the decision to, well, split the premiere in two parts. In theory, it sounded great--more screen time for all these fierce queens! And what a twist! Can you imagine what will happen when the two groups finally meet?

But ultimately, I think it shrunk the scale of the episode's drama. Or maybe it's because I watched most of the episode on my tiny iPhone screen when the preview showed up on the Logo TV app!

Even with just seven queens, it was really Adore and Gia's show, wasn't it? Their constant commentary ran throughout the episode, much more than any other queen. The only cutaway to Ben I can remember is "Barf."

I'm not complaining, though--both Gia and Adore are welcome surprises to an already stellar cast! Gia is a Chicago queen, and I've seen her steal the spotlight at several shows in town. But we haven't met, and I wasn't sure how she'd fare on the show. But I do love her style, and I think she's bringing just the right amount of cattiness for some good drag drama, without resorting to the shrill, screaming attacks we've seen in previous seasons. We'll have to wait and see whether she'll retain the role of "top bitch" when Bianca enters the picture.

I knew Adore would be gorgeous and funny on the show, but I didn't expect her to be so, well, adorable. In her "Meet the Queens" video, she leaned heavily on her eccentric mermaid character, which I like a lot, but seems to grate on some fans. But she came across as one of the most genuine, playful, and enthusiastic queens of the cast, a really wide-eyed ingenue. I see a lot of Shangela and Dida Ritz in her--tons of talent, not a lot of experience (or gowns), but a really strong contender. Oh, and she has fabulous shirts for sale, so go get some!

Laganja is the only queen who's even more divisive this season. No one doubts her jaw-dropping moves, over-sized personality, or her eccentric style, but there are a lot of questions about her authenticity. I think she'll be a central character of Season 6, and we'll see her struggle with a number of things: her over-the-top mannerisms, her relationship to her drag mother, and her strained relationship with her real mother. She's got an insane amount of talent, and the crucial question will be how she utilizes it, what kind of queen does she really want to be? And will she figure that out on the show?

I couldn't decide between the closer cropped image above or the fuller one before--I can't resist a poofy skirt!

Bendelacreme is a queen I wholeheartedly love, but she's going to be dealing with character issues, too. I've watched enough of her ingenious YouTube videos to appreciate the many facets of her work: the saccharine sweetness, the burlesque teasing, and the incredible inventiveness!

Michelle voiced her concern that Ben's character could get old fast--but the more we see of Dela, the more we'll love her. We barely saw his boy persona onscreen this episode, so I think most fans will be pleasantly surprised by the juxtaposition between the man and the queen. And there's so much more yet to come!

For better or worse, Vivacious had one of the most memorable entrances in Drag Race herstory. Ornacia! That zipper!

I love Vi's personality, her energy, and her imagination! She comes up with exquisite concepts for her costumes, but I sometimes worry about their execution. I'm thrilled she's on the show, but I don't think her interests totally align with its emphasis on polish and glamour.

Oh, Kelly. I love this queen. Such a fierce actress, comedian, and singer. I really, really hoped she'd get a chance to show off more of her talents. This is probably the most brutal first cut of any season, but I hope Kelly bounces back and makes the most of her elevated visibility.

I drew this illustration of her, based on her first look, for her official tank tops! Though I'm kind of dying to add a strip of bacon in her hand. Still, it looks pretty good, right?

This is going to be a crazy season. I can't even wait for the second batch of queens, and I'm especially interested to see new dynamics develop when the two groups combine!

Given the enormous wealth of talent in this cast, I'm going to try really hard not to draw the same queens week to week. Because of the preview released last week, I was able to get a head start on this first episode's art, but I'll usually be posting my thoughts and illustrations each Wednesday, following the episodes.

Thanks, everyone!