15 unexpected Christmas specials you have to see to believe

Lady Gaga & the Muppets’ Holiday Spectacular

Here’s another pop star Christmas special for you, and before you question why this one is weird, let me break it down real simple for you: Lady Gaga. Muppets. RuPaul. Any questions?

Unlike most of the other specials on this list, Gaga’s 90-minute spectacular encompassed both Thanksgiving and Christmas, and aired on Thanksgiving night in 2013. This wasn’t her first special either, since A Very Gaga Thanksgiving had aired on ABC in 2011, but this year was a little different, because she was joined by the beloved Muppets.

The special features the Muppets coming together as Gaga is filming her holiday special. Some of them are excited, even the impossible to please Statler and Waldorf, but Miss Piggy is annoyed because she was planning her own finale. Throughout the show, Gaga performs a number of songs from her Artpop album, including “Venus,” “Gypsy” (with Kermit the Frog), “Manicure”, and more.

Besides the Muppets, who obviously can’t be beaten, some other big names made an appearance. Kristen Bell asks Gaga for an autograph, Elton John comes out for a performance of “Bennie and the Jets” with Gaga and their puppet pals, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt duets with the pop star on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

I think what makes this special most interesting is the appearance of RuPaul. Any Gaga fan knows that Gaga loves Ru, and even tweeted about wanting to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race years before she actually did. But Ru rarely makes appearances in full drag aside from the judging panel on Drag Race, and he never performs anymore. Why should he? He’s a millionaire, Emmy-winning icon. He doesn’t need to do anything anymore if he doesn’t want to!

And yet, Gaga managed to convince THE RuPaul to come on her holiday special, in full drag, and perform her song “Fashion!” with her. While Gaga is unfortunately dressed in what can only be described as a dirty-looking condom (I’m really sorry for the visual but… come on), Ru comes out looking statuesque as ever in a feathery blue gown, big blonde hair, black leather gloves, and a face beat for the gods! The two perform the song with a live band and absolutely slay it.