SPOILER ALERT: This article contains details about the episode 3 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
It’s an all-new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars and we are catching up on things with season 8.
We’ve already gone through a two-episode premiere with this incredible roster of queens that includes Alexis Michelle, Darienne Lake, Heidi N Closet, Jaymes Mansfield, Jessica Wild, Jimbo, Kahanna Montrese, Kandy Muse, LaLa Ri, Mrs. Kasha Davis, Naysha Lopez, and Monica Beverly Hills.
Here’s a quick recap of the first two episodes…
In episode one we were introduced to the queens and it was great to get reacquainted with them, but it quickly went down to business with a fashion show and another huge Ru-veal of a twist… because it wouldn’t be an All Star season without a twist
Drag Race will host the first-ever “Fame Games” which will give an opportunity for eliminated queens to win $50,000 at the end of the competition. Each week, the eliminated queens will get the chance to show their runway looks and ask the fans to vote for them. They can also post whatever they want on their social channels. In the end, the viewers will get to vote on which eliminated contestant will be crowned the “Queen of the Fame Games”.
The first episode saw Darienne (it probably was the Billie Eilish) and Monica in the bottom two with Kahanna winning the maxi-challenge where the queens had to write and perform lyrics to the remixes of the song “Money, Success, Fame, Glamour”.
Kahanna ate in the performance and lip synced against Lip Sync Assassin Aja from season 9 and All Stars 3. Aja ended up winning the lip sync and the group chose Monica to go home and she was the first queen to enter the Fame Games.
In episode 2, the queens were challenged to do a Saturday Night Live-esque late-night sketch show titled RDR Live! and Jimbo excelled in the challenge, winning it with an amazing performance and a sickening lewk.
Kahanna went from the top in episode 1 to the bottom alongside Naysha in episode 2. In a Drag Race franchise gagworthy moment, it is Ru-vealed that this week’s Lip Sync Assassin is Pangina Heels, Drag Race Thailand judge and the queen that sent Jimbo home in Drag Race UK vs. The World.
It looks like this wouldn’t be the day where Jimbo gets redemption as Pangina ended up winning the lip sync. This means the group vote decides who goes home… and this week was Naysha.
This brings us to episode 3. Jimbo struts into the Werk Room victoriously breast plate first as she cleans the Naysha’s lip stick message on the mirror which ended with: “I’m still prettier than all of you.”
Turns out that Jimbo also sided on the majority and revealed that she chose Naysha’s lipstick based on track record. Now it is time to tally the other lipstick votes and see who voted for who. After a struggle, Kahanna finally gets the box open and it is revealed that seven queens voted for Naysha to go home and the other three voted for Kahanna. We all know that Naysha voted for Naysha but who were the other two?
Kahanna says “If you picked me, no bad blood” but it doesn’t exactly feel that way.
It’s a new day in the Werk Room and all the queens thirsty for that $30K cash prize while Jaymes sports hanky code attire (gray for bondage) which leads to conversation about sex swings.
From BDSM talk to grocery list talk, this week’s maxi-challenge is a “Supermarket Ball”! Yes, it is the ball challenge! There are three categories are:
- Legen-dairy Queens: Looks inspired by the dairy section.
- Fruity Patootie: Looks inspired by nature’s candy.
- Supermarket Supermodel: The queens must create a high fashion look from things you would find at the supermarket!
What follows is a gratuitous display of bulging, underwear-clad Pit Crew wheeling in shopping bags filled with the unconventional supermarket materials the queens must use for their third look.
As with every ball challenge, there is someone who has a little bit of a struggle when it comes to design and sewing. This season, Kasha is that queen. Well, she doesn’t necessarily struggle, she just admits that sewing isn’t her favorite thing. “I don’t sew because I am not Amish and I have good credit,” she bluntly says in her confessional.
Based on her ambitious description of Kasha’s outfit, it feels like she is gonna have a bit of a challenge. She says she doesn’t want to be safe – and when a queen says that, there’s a high probability that the queen is in the bottom.
Another queen that everyone will be eyeing in this challenge is LaLa. I mean, we all remember her infamous bag look, right? She remembers it too well and still has PTSD from it – but she navigates it with humor.
“I can’t make nothing worse than the bag look,” claims LaLa. She hopes to have an upgrade this season. She promises to give fashun and she needs a redemption.
Then there’s Kandy. She is a lost soul when it comes to this challenge. She’s got this foil and a really cute stick figure sketch of what she wants to make. It’s giving Jiffy Pop and a prayer.
As the Werk Room hustles and bustles with sewing and kiki’ing, LaLa and Heidi have difficulty trying to discuss the parameters of their alliance because they keep being interrupted. That said, we really never get to see the terms and aggreements of their alliance, but apparently they have one – but what does it mean for Heidi’s other alliance with Jimbo and Kandy?
I can’t wait to see how this turns out.
We get even more Werk Room talk after an act break and Kandy talks about missing men and the queens talking about hooking up with other queens and “sisters” – who has done it and who will never do it? Kahanna says she does not “want a sister on her back” while Alexis seems to be the most open to it. She apparently had a good time with Jimbo and is eyeing LaLa.
“What can I say? I keep it in the family!” Alexis proudly says.
We also learn that Kasha and Darienne made out back in the day to which Darienne responds “Back in the day I used to do a lot of hallucinatory drugs.”
During Ru’s one-on-one walk-throughs, it’s very interesting to see how these queens have grown in talent and maturity. Also, they are very self-aware and have a sense of professionalism. There’s also a sense that some of these queens need redemption. To us, these queens don’t really need a redemption. They are on All-Stars!
Heidi has a heartbreaking conversation with Ru when she talks starts talking about her grandmother, who died recently. For all of those who have lots a grandmother, it’s a very specific loss that cuts deep. In this particular moment, she regrets not being able to see her before she died and we see a vulnerable version of Heidi that connects on another level.
After the queens bond over stories about being single and/or partnered, Heidi shifts the conversation and points out that there hasn’t been a unanimous vote since the season started. She also points out there is usually a unanimous vote in All-Stars seasons in the first couple weeks. This season has been different.
Jimbo asks if they are voting based on track record and it doesn’t seem like everyone is totally on the same page. I think people are just going to vote the way they vote because as Kandy points out there are tons of factors in how to vote.
“I don’t think you can trust anyone’s point of view,” Kahanna says in her confessional.
It’s runway time and Ru is showing us those gams and they are going for days. This week’s judges panel includes Michelle Visage, Ts Madison, and special guest JoJo Siwa.
Here’s how the queens fared with their “Supermarket Ball” lewks:
Category is: LEGEN-DAIRY QUEENS
- Jimbo: She’s wearing the embodiement of that feeling when you used to blow bubbles in your milk as a child.
- Kahanna: She’s giving bovine video vixen.
- Jaymes: A campy ‘60s milk and cookies lewk that’s very on brand for her.
- Kandy: She’s literally a sexy splash of milk.
- Alexis: It’s giving “Cows of Anarchy” motorcycle club realness
- Lala: If Savage x Fenty did cow print, this would be the lewk.
- Darienne: It’s pretty but forgettable.
- Jessica: The cereal and milk lewk made me want Froot Loops.
- Kasha: Not 100 percent sure what this was, but it was very gorgeous… and angry?
- Heidi: The prim and proper but slightly naughty signature of Heidi speaks volumes in this milkwoman delivery uniform lewk.
Category is: FRUITY PATOOTIE
- Jimbo: A different take on the term “fruit” as she dons a very beautiful high-collared dress with the faces of queer icons.
- Kahanna: I have never seen a banana dress look so fierce. It’s giving banana B.A.P.S.
- Jaymes: Her lemonade lewk was cute, but not lemony enough.
- Kandy: Loved her Lil Kim at the 1999 VMAs cherry lewk.
- Alexis: She looked like a regal and divine blueberry pageant queen.
- Lala: I get it was a candy apple lewk but it needed some tweaking.
- Darienne: Loved the fruity dress but loved the sparkling Varsity Blues whipped cream moment underneath.
- Jessica: Loved her A Walk In The Clouds acai lewk that is a clear call back to her original season.
- Kasha: If Alexis Carrington Colby was a showgirl in Dynasty this would be it.
- Heidi: Strawberry harem pants? Yes, please.
Category is: SUPERMARKET SUPERMODEL
- Jimbo: I love it when Jimbo does his version of glam. There’s always something off about it that makes it perfect. This artichoke lettuce lewk is a perfect example of that.
- Kahanna: Did she make this?! Because this yellow and blue number is giving sickening superhero and beautifully constructed.
- Jaymes: A housewife lewk that feels like it belongs in a Tim Burton movie.
- Kandy: Not gonna lie. I love this sci-fi Jiffy Pop lewk. She should wear it when she goes sees Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE tour.
- Alexis: It’s giving mall. Not mad at it, but also not remembering it.
- Lala: It feels simple, but it is so elegent… or as Michelle would say, “eloguent”.
- Darienne: The dress itself is great but the train feels like she is pooping Mylar
- Jessica: Como la flor indeed.
- Kasha: This is a lot of lewk. She says it’s supposed to be the inside of a pinata, but it just looks like landfill.
- Heidi: A nice napkin dress. Nothing terribly exciting but very nicely presented.
After the runway presentation, Kahanna, Jaymes, Alexis, and Heidi are safe.
Jimbo gets stellar reviews for all her looks and she is on a roll. Kandy gets high marks with Jojo while Michelle wasn’t wildly excited with her lewks but she knows that she can turn it out.
Like the rest of us, Michelle was nervous about LaLa in this challenge – and she redeemed herself! Michelle loved her Supermarket Supermodel lewk while Ts was living for the Legen-dairy lewk.
As for Darienne, it’s not looking too good. Her lewks “aren’t quite there” according to Ru, but they did love her Fruity Patootie lewk. On the other hand, they loved all of Jessica’s lewks and her creativity.
Kasha also seems like she’s in the bottom. Michelle didn’t understand her “sour cream” Legen-dairy lewk – I don’t think many of us did. And then Ts minces no words and says she “hates” her Supermarket Supermodel lewk. Jojo describes it was for a three year old who didn’t know what kind of birthday party to have. Kasha accepts the criticism with open arms… really huge open arms.
It is Ru-vealed that Jessica is the winner of the challenge while Kasha and Darienne are in the bottom two. As All Star rules go, Jessica chooses one queen to go home, but if she loses the lip sync against the week’s Lip Sync Assassin (LSA), the group vote sends the queen home.
This week’s LSA is Ra’jah O’Hara from season 11, All-Stars 6 and the winner of Canada’s Drag Race vs. the World. She and Jessica lip sync to Kim Petras’s “Coconuts”. It’s a booby-filled lip sync for Jessica… with some scenes that were probably cut out for obvious reasons.
Jessica ends up winning the lip sync and the $30K. She then takes her lip stick out of her bra to reveal that she chose Kasha go home.
“There’s always time for kindness,” Kasha says with tears in her eyes as she leaves the mainstage.