RuPaul's Drag Race/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Base Breaker: Shangela is either hilarious the second time around and much more polished or an annoying mess who still didn't deserve to be in the competition.
    • Raja is either one of the fiercest queens in the history of the show, or a talentless washed up old model whose only claim to fame is Tyra Banks.
  • Crowning Moment of Awesome: So many of the lipsyncs. Especially ones where both girls give their all.
    • Phi Phi and Sharon's lip sync may quite possibly the most intense in Drag Race history, aided by the season-long tension experienced between the two as well as the extremely high energy song.
  • Crowning Moment of Funny: Jujubee reading the other queens.
    • Alexis Mateo as Alicia Keys.
    • Jessica Wild drinking Absolut Vodka nonstop in her interview. "Oh I love that Absolut Ahhhsayyyeee, oh my God!"
    • This exchange from the Space Challenge:

Mariah: Go fuck yourself!
Mimi: I DID! That's why I'm your father. AND YOUR MOTHER!

    • Manila Luzon mocking Shangela's Tina Turner impression.

"I don't know, Ike. Halleloo!"

    • During the Rupaulapalooza "Untucked" session, all the queens are asked who should leave. There is a long, awkward silence backstage... broken by Manila.

"What a fun challenge! I mean, who knew it'd be so hard to lipsynch my own goddamn song? (Beat. No one responds.) All right, werk."

    • The first Snatch Game challenge, particularly for Tatiana's brilliantly wide-eyed portrayal of Britney Spears.
  • Crowning Moment of Heartwarming: Episodes of Untucked have this at least once per season.
  • Ear Worm:
    • Covergirl! Put the bass in your walk!
    • Don't be jealous of my boogie!
  • Elimination Houdini:
    • Rebecca Glasscock, who was widely considered to have avoided elimination due to luck and her pretty face.
    • Arguably Tyra Sanchez, who often conveniently had immunity when she performed poorly.
  • Ensemble Darkhorse: All of the contestants are met with a sizable following to some degree, but none so much as Sharon Needles.
  • Growing the Beard: Season 3 was arguably where the show really took off. Season 1 had a much lower budget and was filmed at a different location and even though Season 2 began to resemble the current Drag Race, it was still a diamond in the rough.
  • Heartwarming in Hindsight: Rupaul's parting words to Shangela in Season 2. "I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of you yet. Good luck my dear. Now, sashay away."
  • Hilarious in Hindsight: Upon arriving in her monster getup, Raja was scoffed at and judged for being "not on the same level" by the competitors. She went on to win.
    • Also in Season 4, Phi Phi O'Hara commented that Sharon Needles was the weakest and would be sent home on the first day. Sharon ended up winning the first challenge, three more challenges in future episodes, and then the entire season.
  • N-Word Privileges: A term that is thrown around quite a bit is the term "tranny" — a slur aimed at trans* people that is used quite often and casually on the show. This is an example of when the people in question have no right to use the word yet no one questions this.
    • On the other hand: as drag queens, the competitors are often lumped in with trans* people by folks who aren't educated about the differences — see: some of the things said by the dads/makeover partners in s4's "DILFs (Dads I'd Like To Frock)," especially in the Untucked episode — and have trans*phobic slurs leveled at them as insults (see: Pandora describing the aversion her team experienced while trying to sell cherry pie gift certificates on Hollywood Boulevard, in full drag, in the middle of the day; c.f., "Aaah, it's a tranny girl. Ahhh, it's a t-girl"). So… yes, the queens aren't the typical victims of the "tranny" slur, but as victims of it nevertheless, some people would say they have a right to reclaim the term, as long as they don't use also it as a slur for trans* people. But, of course, Your Mileage May Vary.
  • Shocking Swerve: When the 3rd Season gets down to its final 4 competitors, Rupaul announces that the judges will select a previously eliminated contestant to come back and compete.
    • Willam's disqualification in season 4. It's not the first time Ru decided not to send anyone home from the Lip Sync before, sure, but...
  • Tear Jerker: Ongina revealing that she has HIV after winning the Viva Glam challenge.