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RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race starts its engines

Ruth Boulet

RuPaul of RuPaul's All Stars Drag RaceHey gurl! RuPaul is back, along with some of the favorite drag queens from seasons past. All of the contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars made it THIS close to the ultimate crown, but ultimately failed. Well, ok, Tammie Brown and Mimi Imfurst didn’t really come close, but they were interesting dragtestants. All right, Tammie was interesting. Mimi got crappy editing to look like an insecure drama queen. Perhaps they will both be exonerated this time around.

RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race features:

Watch RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race Full Episodes – Logo TV

The season starts like most others – each contestant comes strolling down the street into the workroom. The girls get reacquainted with each other, and we get little clips to remind us just who these fabulous queens are. Manila serves up some Cruella de Vil realness. Jujubee feels underdressed. Shannel wears too much everything, although it was the beast’s costume in Beauty and the Beast. A little shade gets thrown, mostly in Mimi’s direction, but for the most part things are positive.

Ru lets them know that this time, the girls need to add an ‘S’ to their Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent. That ‘S’ is for Synergy. Like Jem Synergy, I’m sure. You see, my queens, thou shalt complete in teams of two this season. Looking at the schedule and seeing that there are only 6 episodes in this season and 12 contestants, this wrinkle totally makes sense.

Teams are selected via fans. Not internet fans or anything, actual paper fans. These paper fans come in a large box. Latrice points out if Shangela is in that box again, she’s going to sit on it & then no more Shangela. Nope, no Shangela, just fans. Each contestant select who they’d like to be paired up with by selecting that person’s fan. Where there’s a match, there’s a pair. No match = try again until there’s only 2 girls left.

Not surprisingly, drag queens that have known each other for-ev-ah select each other. This includes Team Shad – Shannel and Chad Michaels (two perfectionists on the same team? I’m sure that’ll work well). Most other teams just like each other. Until we come down to the final 2 – Pandora Boxx and Mimi Imfurst. Poor Pandora. She is not liking this whole team competition very much. Instead of putting on her big girl panties, though, she’s allowing herself to have a bit of a table for one pity party. Unattractive, Pandora, play nice.

Here’s the team breakdown:

The teams have a 2-part challenge: first, to be photographed with each other not fully in drag and second, to do an “opposites attract” photo shoot. They also have to do each other’s makeup. It’s at this point that Manila questions her choice and Pandora wonders why Mimi’s giving her ginormous lips. Many strategies are discussed – some good, some naked, some overthought. Ok, most overthought.

During the first photo, Chad and Shannel of course direct their own photo shoot, much to the irritation of their actual photographer. Manila and Latrice do a prom pose. The second photo features black rain. For most queens, this means running makeup, falling wigs and soaked sequins. For Raven, only two of those three things apply because she’s completely naked. Makes for easy cleanup!

Time to get ready for the mainstage! Pandora and Mimi make up, sort of, in a very “we’re stuck in this team together” kind of way. Much discussion happens about Raven’s nudity. And Tammie Brown talks about a lot of things – moons, saving grandmothers, and various other things that make no sense whatsoever. Between this All Stars episode & the Untucked that followed, Tammie seems to have her own brand of Tourettes – perhaps it’s Tamrettes, the random spewing of unrelated things (“I saved my grandmother!”) at inappropriate times.

With all the talk, our dragtestants pull it together & show off some fabulous outfits on the runway. In the cartoon corner, team Latrila goes with a Teletubbies theme and team Mandora is inspired by neon green Muppets. Rujubee goes burlesque and Brown Flowers loves leather. Yarlexis mostly used photos of themselves as costume. And Team Shad goes with the more-is-more theme with their Welcome to the Jungle meets Dungeons & Dragons.

And the winners are – Team Latrila! Santino comments that Team Shad collectively has a questionable taste level. Other things are said about other RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars contestants behind their back. So shady.

The bottom two teams are revealed to be Team Shad and Team Mandora. In keeping with the team twist this season, one member of the team will lip-synch and one will watch. The team member that watches will be able to stop the lip-synch during the first minute and take over but each team will only be able to use this power once during the season. This is only to be used in a shemergency; use that power thoughtfully! Oops, wrong show. Sorry Tim Gunn.

This match-up pits Mimi Imfurst versus Chad Michaels. Mimi does not pick Chad up, but she doesn’t win lip-synch either. Mimi Imfurst and Pandora Boxx are the first two queens eliminated. Boo! Of course, Pandora really did bring this on herself with her attitude.

Watch RuPaul’s All Stars Drag Race Full Episodes – Logo TV

Until next week, good luck, and don’t f*** it up! May the best bitch win.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Star Photo Credit: Mathu Andersen

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