So, I admit, I'm a little late to the Drag game. Sort of.
It's hard when you don't really watch TV or streaming services. My initial experiences with drag queens weren't that inspiring - when I used to work in the tourist/entertainment industry, sometimes our hosts would hire local drag queens. How famous they were if any, I don't know, but they were always the worst because of how rude they were.
As in, the kind of people you see trash talk the help in movies right before the help rise up and kick their butts in an ironic way, a sort of over the top, way obvious bad guy but not in a fun, Disneyesque way. So, I was never interested in them. The ones I saw were hideous, and basically just stood there all night for 'entertainment' and when they weren't posing they were being the prissiest prima donnas in the area.
This is no exaggeration either - like, when you work in any kind of service or entertainment.. you get a lot of different types come through. These were the worst.
The other major player that came to mind that was Courtney Act - but again, didn't know much about her either.
Later, in a different job I had the pleasure of working with a nice dude who adored RuPaul and would always play songs of the aforementioned and other artists in the genre. I liked a lot of what I heard, so I got into them too, popped a few on my Ipod. Still didn't know much about the performers.
Later still, I became a full internet nerd, and when you're an internet nerd, you get into everything. Which is great. Still very behind and haven't really watched episodes - more like, clips, compilations, interviews and their own channels and things - but I really like the current drag universe.
They are artists and performers.. they put so much into their roles and personas... and hell, they have ten times the star quality that the local rude schmo's had.
My favourites are:
Ben DeLa Creme - an absolute stunner and sweetheart - she's part Bianca and part Willam but all class and entertainment.
Willam Belli - She makes it look effortless but at the same time very real. I feel like a lot of other queens can be way too made up and posed to be able to do anything, while it seems like even when Willam is done up to the nine's she's still got that air about her that she could be strutting the runway or chilling with a beer. Plus the on point humour and that laugh!
Bianca Del Rio - One of the constantly classier dressed queens, with a rapier like wit and power to tell it like it is... but funny.
Raja and Raven - Two halves of the same iconic queen.
Nova and Olympia - also two
Alaska Thunderfuck, Adore Delano, Latrice Royale, Bob the Drag Queen,
Sharon Needles......
That said.... I want to talk about Dragula.
So, this is a RuPaul's Drag Race-esque show with a twist - going for the darker, edgier, bloodier, anti-mainstream vibe which I love. Never heard of the Boulet Brothers before, until Fashion Photo Ruview
Xochi Mochi - intro
Ursula Major - no intro
Foxi Adjuia - no intro
Vander Von Odd - intro
Meatball - no intro
Loris - no intro
Frankie Doom - intro
Pinche Queen - no intro
Melissa Befierce - intro
So right away, only four queens out of nine get an intro so either they had nothing to say, which doesn't sound right or the show has some definite favourites from the beginning. Either way, given that a lot of these Queens AREN'T mainstream or aren't well known - which is half the point - you'd think they'd go through and give everyone even a small HIHOWAHYA before putting them in burlack sacks. Shite, even Big Brother isn't that rude.
Speaking of rude, I'm glad the backstage prep room was so encouraging, they were just talking about what they want to do, how they don't get opportunities like this, how complacent 'safe' queens can get, not judging others for their life choices and that they can't wait to see what the other talented bitches present bring out in them.
First Look: Wicked Witch
First Challenge: Death Scene
Guest Judge: Darren Stein (director of Jawbreaker, kind of looks like a cross between Moby and Jim Rash)
Right now the judges choose this moment to announce that they're essentially setting up a Gofundme account for the winner, to be filled by the fans. I didn't much like this. Sure, it's a huge bonus for the winner, but it shouldn't be up to the fans to provide the funds. I mean, sure, this is pretty low budget but the Boulet Brothers keep harping on about how they've been doing this event thing for ages... so why aren't they funding it with an OPTION for fans to contribute *if they wish* ?
Judges picks:
1) Vander Van Odd
2) Xochi Mochi
3) Frankie Doom
4) Foxie Adjuia
Jawbreaker Moby ticked me off when he said he liked Foxie's name because it was like a character out of his film. Like, if he'd been introduced as just a director at the start and then he referenced his movie later when it was semi-relevant, sure, whatever. This just came across as REMEMBER ME, I ALSO DID STUFF ONCE. Very ugh. Besides, you aren't here to critique names! Also he focussed waaaay too much on shoes.
I don't actually know which Brother it was, but did she just saw feeerahl instead of feral? (feh-rahl)
Is this an American thing, or a drag thing?
I liked Vander Van Odd and Foxie Adjuia's looks the best, with Frankie Doom's a close runner up.
Judges kicks:
1) Loris
2) Melissa Befierce
3) Pinche Queen
4) Meatball
5) Ursula Major
SAFE: Melissa Befierce and Ursula Major
Elimination: Loris, Pinche and Meatball
We didn't even get to see the full runway looks. Example - between her appearance and the end line up, Loris had done a reveal and we didn't get to see that, but it's the main critique of her look?? They didn't even show her name during her time. The heck was that about? She was the ONLY queen whose name wasn't shown. We apparently had time to see Frankie Doom's reveal but not Loris'?
Loris did something quite cool, going from Silent Hill-esque villain to a sort of feral, hempen roped voodoo queen thing but it feels like she got kicked down extra hard for no real reason.
Again Jawbreaker Guy was ripping into the shoes because Melissa wore a sensible pump. Like, Bitch, did you see the rest of her outfit? Girl was a harlequin of horror but if she went crazy with the shoes it would have thrown the rest of the look off. I get it, drag, the bigger and better and crazier it is the more they like it, but you can't reduce the overall score because of shoes when they fit the theme well.
Jawbreaker guy also critiqued Pinche's one white eye and then blacked out face. Man, I liked that. It's a horror staple, it's visually stunning and it was different to what the other girls did. Like, he was all, "oh, it's just lazy, we know you can do better make-up than that" when really dude, get over it.
They picked on Meatball for her costume when I liked the evil candy witch look. They had a point about the cape being a bit blunderey but I mean, witches and crazy ass capes kinda go together. Besides, it's not like the Boulet Brother's tarty Vampirella capes don't look cheap either.
Ursula's witch doctor outfit was amazing but the Brother's were like 'no, cheap and weird fabric choices.' Um.... what? Witch doctors are always a hodge podge of whatever they have lying around, it's half the reason why they look so cool and mysterious.
Extermination:
Witch trials - being buried alive and tormented with bugs and other stuff.
I still heart Loris - both Pinche and Meatball were visibly freaked on stage and in the coffins while it took AGES to get Loris to look uncomfortable. I mean, she wasn't HAPPY obviously, but she wasn't freaking out either.
Pinche seemed to get a lot of bugs directly in her face, but then again she kept her mouth open so..
AAAhnnnnnnd Pinche is out.
Vander Van Odd: *tastes water* Los Angeles tap water?!? I'm burning!!
Loris: Is someone peeing? Yes, give it to me daddy!
Who's pissing on my grave? I ain't even dead!
Is this because I ate all the food at Craft Services?
Edit, I watched this on HeyQween Youtube but apparently OutTV Go has a better version. If it airs in your area.
It's hard when you don't really watch TV or streaming services. My initial experiences with drag queens weren't that inspiring - when I used to work in the tourist/entertainment industry, sometimes our hosts would hire local drag queens. How famous they were if any, I don't know, but they were always the worst because of how rude they were.
As in, the kind of people you see trash talk the help in movies right before the help rise up and kick their butts in an ironic way, a sort of over the top, way obvious bad guy but not in a fun, Disneyesque way. So, I was never interested in them. The ones I saw were hideous, and basically just stood there all night for 'entertainment' and when they weren't posing they were being the prissiest prima donnas in the area.
This is no exaggeration either - like, when you work in any kind of service or entertainment.. you get a lot of different types come through. These were the worst.
The other major player that came to mind that was Courtney Act - but again, didn't know much about her either.
Later, in a different job I had the pleasure of working with a nice dude who adored RuPaul and would always play songs of the aforementioned and other artists in the genre. I liked a lot of what I heard, so I got into them too, popped a few on my Ipod. Still didn't know much about the performers.
Later still, I became a full internet nerd, and when you're an internet nerd, you get into everything. Which is great. Still very behind and haven't really watched episodes - more like, clips, compilations, interviews and their own channels and things - but I really like the current drag universe.
They are artists and performers.. they put so much into their roles and personas... and hell, they have ten times the star quality that the local rude schmo's had.
My favourites are:
Ben DeLa Creme - an absolute stunner and sweetheart - she's part Bianca and part Willam but all class and entertainment.
Willam Belli - She makes it look effortless but at the same time very real. I feel like a lot of other queens can be way too made up and posed to be able to do anything, while it seems like even when Willam is done up to the nine's she's still got that air about her that she could be strutting the runway or chilling with a beer. Plus the on point humour and that laugh!
Bianca Del Rio - One of the constantly classier dressed queens, with a rapier like wit and power to tell it like it is... but funny.
Raja and Raven - Two halves of the same iconic queen.
Nova and Olympia - also two
Alaska Thunderfuck, Adore Delano, Latrice Royale, Bob the Drag Queen,
Sharon Needles......
That said.... I want to talk about Dragula.
So, this is a RuPaul's Drag Race-esque show with a twist - going for the darker, edgier, bloodier, anti-mainstream vibe which I love. Never heard of the Boulet Brothers before, until Fashion Photo Ruview
Xochi Mochi - intro
Ursula Major - no intro
Foxi Adjuia - no intro
Vander Von Odd - intro
Meatball - no intro
Loris - no intro
Frankie Doom - intro
Pinche Queen - no intro
Melissa Befierce - intro
So right away, only four queens out of nine get an intro so either they had nothing to say, which doesn't sound right or the show has some definite favourites from the beginning. Either way, given that a lot of these Queens AREN'T mainstream or aren't well known - which is half the point - you'd think they'd go through and give everyone even a small HIHOWAHYA before putting them in burlack sacks. Shite, even Big Brother isn't that rude.
Speaking of rude, I'm glad the backstage prep room was so encouraging, they were just talking about what they want to do, how they don't get opportunities like this, how complacent 'safe' queens can get, not judging others for their life choices and that they can't wait to see what the other talented bitches present bring out in them.
First Look: Wicked Witch
First Challenge: Death Scene
Guest Judge: Darren Stein (director of Jawbreaker, kind of looks like a cross between Moby and Jim Rash)
Right now the judges choose this moment to announce that they're essentially setting up a Gofundme account for the winner, to be filled by the fans. I didn't much like this. Sure, it's a huge bonus for the winner, but it shouldn't be up to the fans to provide the funds. I mean, sure, this is pretty low budget but the Boulet Brothers keep harping on about how they've been doing this event thing for ages... so why aren't they funding it with an OPTION for fans to contribute *if they wish* ?
Judges picks:
1) Vander Van Odd
2) Xochi Mochi
3) Frankie Doom
4) Foxie Adjuia
Jawbreaker Moby ticked me off when he said he liked Foxie's name because it was like a character out of his film. Like, if he'd been introduced as just a director at the start and then he referenced his movie later when it was semi-relevant, sure, whatever. This just came across as REMEMBER ME, I ALSO DID STUFF ONCE. Very ugh. Besides, you aren't here to critique names! Also he focussed waaaay too much on shoes.
I don't actually know which Brother it was, but did she just saw feeerahl instead of feral? (feh-rahl)
Is this an American thing, or a drag thing?
I liked Vander Van Odd and Foxie Adjuia's looks the best, with Frankie Doom's a close runner up.
Judges kicks:
1) Loris
2) Melissa Befierce
3) Pinche Queen
4) Meatball
5) Ursula Major
SAFE: Melissa Befierce and Ursula Major
Elimination: Loris, Pinche and Meatball
We didn't even get to see the full runway looks. Example - between her appearance and the end line up, Loris had done a reveal and we didn't get to see that, but it's the main critique of her look?? They didn't even show her name during her time. The heck was that about? She was the ONLY queen whose name wasn't shown. We apparently had time to see Frankie Doom's reveal but not Loris'?
Loris did something quite cool, going from Silent Hill-esque villain to a sort of feral, hempen roped voodoo queen thing but it feels like she got kicked down extra hard for no real reason.
Again Jawbreaker Guy was ripping into the shoes because Melissa wore a sensible pump. Like, Bitch, did you see the rest of her outfit? Girl was a harlequin of horror but if she went crazy with the shoes it would have thrown the rest of the look off. I get it, drag, the bigger and better and crazier it is the more they like it, but you can't reduce the overall score because of shoes when they fit the theme well.
Jawbreaker guy also critiqued Pinche's one white eye and then blacked out face. Man, I liked that. It's a horror staple, it's visually stunning and it was different to what the other girls did. Like, he was all, "oh, it's just lazy, we know you can do better make-up than that" when really dude, get over it.
They picked on Meatball for her costume when I liked the evil candy witch look. They had a point about the cape being a bit blunderey but I mean, witches and crazy ass capes kinda go together. Besides, it's not like the Boulet Brother's tarty Vampirella capes don't look cheap either.
Ursula's witch doctor outfit was amazing but the Brother's were like 'no, cheap and weird fabric choices.' Um.... what? Witch doctors are always a hodge podge of whatever they have lying around, it's half the reason why they look so cool and mysterious.
Extermination:
Witch trials - being buried alive and tormented with bugs and other stuff.
I still heart Loris - both Pinche and Meatball were visibly freaked on stage and in the coffins while it took AGES to get Loris to look uncomfortable. I mean, she wasn't HAPPY obviously, but she wasn't freaking out either.
Pinche seemed to get a lot of bugs directly in her face, but then again she kept her mouth open so..
AAAhnnnnnnd Pinche is out.
Vander Van Odd: *tastes water* Los Angeles tap water?!? I'm burning!!
Loris: Is someone peeing? Yes, give it to me daddy!
Who's pissing on my grave? I ain't even dead!
Is this because I ate all the food at Craft Services?
Edit, I watched this on HeyQween Youtube but apparently OutTV Go has a better version. If it airs in your area.
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