Leave it to RuPaul to make a reunion special interesting. I’ve been watching reality TV since the original New Orleans season of Real World, when Julie the Mormon got kicked out of Brigham Young University for co-habitating with men. Yet I’ve only tuned in to a reunion special once or twice (and one of those occasions was when I needed to see what Teresa would say after she flipped that table on Real Housewives of New Jersey). On last night’s real finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul, being RuPaul, saved the best news for last: America’s Next Drag Superstar is…
Praise be to RuPaul for making that decision, because if the winner had been Phi Phi “Hot Garbage” O’Hara or Chad “I Swear These Aren’t Cheek Implants” Michaels, I might have had to give up on this show forever. Really, what other choice could Ru have made? Sharon is so entrancing that I nearly spoilered myself about five times by wanting to Google Ms. Needles’ upcoming live shows. Just listen to these empowering mottos she spat out last night: “When in doubt, freak ’em out!” and “If anyone boos you off stage, it’s simply applause from ghosts.” Words to live by, Sharon, words to live by.
In other news, Latrice Royale won Miss Congeniality (duh) and will be appearing on RuPaul’s Drag U this June. Ru is doing all she can to get us to tune in to every minute of this franchise, and I’m totally fine with that. But perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was Willam, who finally appeared to confess her sins. It turns out the rumors (diet pills, drugs, bulimia) were a lot more exciting than the reality: Willam’s husband found out that she was on the show and had been making “conjugal visits” to the Drag Race hotel. YAWN. At least we got to see Willam back in action long enough for her to coin the term “RuPaul-igize,” which Ru loved: “Consider that word stolen, honey.”
Other highlights of the show included Kenya Michaels getting “translated” by Charo, Dida Ritz talking about how her grandparents watch every rerun, and Jiggly Caliente saying that her brother bought her much-needed sewing lessons with his tax refund. After a season that was slightly underwhelming, the finale was extremely satisfying. The best woman really did win (and Latrice Royale got about a million well deserved standing ovations).
Congratulations to Sharon Needles! And until next season, remember: If you can’t love yourself, how in the HELL you gonna love somebody else? Can I get an amen?
Catch RuPaul’s Drag Race Mondays at 9/8c on LogoTV
