I know these three gay things to be true: Cher will never actually say farewell. Sal should have come back in the Mad Men series finale. And there is always an acting music video challenge to determine the top three on RuPaul’s Drag Race. What I am unsure of, however, is who will take those spots for the season finale. Violet has revved her engine in the last few episodes. Ginger has always been the one to beat. Pearl has risen from the ashes. Kennedy has surprised us by winning some challenges. Any combination of these three could happen.
Michelle Visage visits the queens and tells them they will be appearing in the official music video for RuPaul’s “Born Naked” and also share some dramatic scenes for the shoot. Choreographer extraordinaire Candis Cayne will provide some 80’s dance moves, but it doesn’t look like Violet can really “get into the groove.” She tells Cayne, “I was born in ‘92.” Cayne replies, “That’s no excuse.” I’m sure if you mentioned Cheryl Tiegs or Dynasty to Violet, she would be very confused.
In addition to preparing for the challenge, the queens will have a one-on-one “dinner date” with Mama Ru herself. You know when people ask you “which three people living or dead would you want to dine with?” Ever since Drag Race started, I’ve always wanted to share a meal with her basically because she only serves orange Tic-Tacs. This year, she’s juicing. Ru is always up on the trends! The meals are a way to connect with each of the girls, and it’s usually pretty emotional. Kennedy reveals that she got closer to her father through drag (he got her to audition!), and she’s the guardian of her severely handicapped sister. Violet says her family sort of put her on the backburner (maybe everyone was jealous of that sickening waist?), and Ginger used humor as a defense mechanism to cope with her father leaving in his early teenage years.
In the Werk Room, Ginger tries to get inside Violet’s head by asking how she’s going to push through the acting challenges since Violet has suck in almost all of them. The claws are out, kitty girls, and the pressure seems to be getting to these queens. Ginger shouldn’t talk since she only whines and complains whenever she can’t do anything, and doesn’t push through it. She skirts around it until the daily challenge is over. When it comes down to getting ready, it’s old versus new. Literally. As Violet and Pearl play dress up, Ginger and Kennedy gossip like a big-haired version of Statler and Waldorf.
When it comes down to film the choreography section, Pearl can’t keep her wig on, and Violet loses an earring. Let’s calm down on the dramatics, shall we? Sharon Needles sucked at dancing and she still won, and Jinkx Monsoon wasn’t the most coordinated. Candis Cayne can barely tolerate these youngsters, so she might be team windbag. The scene they perform with Ru isn’t necessarily revealed. Each girl rotates playing a different character in a dinner scene with a bald, bumpkin RuPaul. They are each a rebellious teen, a little girl dressed as a fairy princess and a pill-popping mama. Unlike past seasons, we don’t get any inkling of what the scene is really about since all the bitching takes center stage. Violet’s more Heather Graham than Meryl Streep, and then she gets her ass handed to her by Ginger and Kennedy in the Werk Room. They don’t think she’s matured enough to take the title, but her reactions shows how much she’s grown in the competition.
For the runway, they have to deliver their best drag. Kennedy walks out in a Jetsons Pride flag that’s eye-catching, and Ginger looks like an upcoming item in Swiffer’s line of products. Violet went low-key and wore a Cabaret-inspired pantsuit with tasseled bodice while Pearl shows up with something it looks like she’s worn a million times: white and flowy dress with big, blonde hair. RuPaul throws an emotional curve and presents each queen with a picture of themselves around the age of 4. She asks each queen what they would say to their young selves, and the most emotional was Pearl’s. Her chin quivers, and she tells herself to watch out, because she has a lot of shit and adversity coming her way. It’s a rare emotional moment for her. Cue my personal Emmy campaign for RuPaul…now…
After the girls are critiqued, they have to go down the panel and explain why they deserve to be the next drag superstar. Ginger throws Pearl and her fears from earlier in the season under the bus, but Pearl fights back. Violet claims that she’s the past, present, and future of drag, and Kennedy tells everyone how professional she is. Instead of picking a bottom two (which would have been almost impossible this week), RuPaul has all four queens lip synch to “Born Naked.” It’s a rather low-key song, but you can see all the different levels of performing. In a shock move, RuPaul eliminated Kenney Davenport. You can see the clear disappointment in her face as she sashays away, but…I’m totally fine with it! No matter how excited I am for the finale, I have to admit that this episode was kind of a dud. The acting challenge at the end is always pretty epic (remember Phi Phi O’Hara almost hitting Ru with the wrench? Jinkx Monsoon and Alaska steamrolling over Roxxxy Andrews?), but this was a letdown. Why focus on all the cattiness? BRING BACK KATYA!
Pearl, Ginger Minj, and Violet Chachki are this year’s top 3! Who should win? Who will win? I never thought I’d say this, but I’m pretty sure I’m Team Pearl. If anyone has worked their ass off in this competition this season, it’s her. Ginger has been really consistent, and Violet has really surged these last few episodes. Pearl changed my perception of her. That’s powerful–even for reality television.