RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars review: Lip sync assassination

We all knew this week’s RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars was going to be a gag of an episode, and Ru definitely delivered! Let’s talk about which queens went home for good, and who got their Rudemption.

Last week on RuPaul’s Drag Race, we all knew something was about to go down! Ru suspended All Stars rules for the first time in the history of the show, and then we find out he’s bringing back the four eliminated queens? What was she up to?

As it turns out, like every season, the queens had their chance to get their Rudemption and be brought back into the competition, but this time with a twist. All four eliminated queens got to pick one of the remaining queens to lip sync against. Whoever wins gets to stay in the competition, and whoever loses goes home. Monet and Manila were the winners last week so they got immunity from the challenge, but I knew it was about to be a battle royale up there on that stage.

I wasn’t surprised to see all the queens confronting the girls who sent them home. Farrah immediately asks Valentina if she really was the worst one — to which Valentina said yes — and Latrice had some choice words for Monique, calling her disingenuous during her elimination speech. But these girls came into this competition to fight and it was their chance to really prove they should be there.

I have to say, going into this challenge, I didn’t have high hopes for Jasmine Masters. For one, she got to pick last and perform first, because she was the first eliminated queen, so she got the lip sync assassin Trinity. Jasmine isn’t exactly known for her performing, or for anything other than being a meme for that matter. #SHADE

Like I expected, Jasmine couldn’t compete against Trinity. She did her best, but she just looked tired the whole time. Trinity was working it out to Ru’s “Peanut Butter” and she was shaking what her mama (doctor) gave her like there was no tomorrow!

Farrah wanted to get her Rudemption against the friend turned foe turned friend again who sent her home: Valentina. She came in her best showgirl outfit and a highlight that could stop an airplane and she flipped around her hair like she was Britney damn Spears on that stage. But she was no match for Valentina, who crawled around on the floor to “Kitty Girl” like she was the vampiest sex kitten in the world.

Gia came out in a questionable outfit, but her hair and paint were sickening. She faced off against Naomi, and ooh girl, Naomi was ready for her. Both queens whipped around their long, flowing human hair like it was coming out of their own head. They pulled tricks, it was high-energy, and they each gave the other a run for their money, but it turns out Naomi went that extra step. Now maybe they’ll actually give her some screen time next episode!

The final lip sync really was the one everyone was waiting for with anticipation: Latrice Royale vs. Monique Heart. Monique sent Latrice home and Latrice was not happy about it at all. I’ve said it before, Latrice has been a fan favorite ever since she first walked into that work room. She’s a RuPaul’s Drag Race icon, and she needed to prove that, because she faltered this season.

And prove it she did! Monique may have had the reveals and the tricks, but Latrice was showing fire and energy, something that she should’ve demonstrated since the beginning so she wouldn’t have to be saving her ass right now! But she turned it out, and just when you thought Monique was the only one with some tricks up her tuck, Latrice jumps into a split! Yaaaas queen!

This one was the hardest choice of all, but then Ru uttered the words: “Latrice Royale… Shantay you stay.” Monique looked GOOPED, America, but then Ru assured her that… she was also safe. The double-safe has been done a million times on the show and it’s a bit played out, but in this case, both queens really did slay it. Now Latrice needs to keep that fire for the rest of the season, or else it’s right back home.

This episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars was really refreshing to see. It wasn’t some whackadoodle comedy challenge and they didn’t need to perform some cheesy original song, it got right down to the roots of the show, where the queens had to prove why they were there, because they are sickening drag queens who can turn out a lip sync. I won’t lie, this season started out shaky, but the last few weeks it has really been turning around for me.

Random Ruflections

• Both Monet and Manila said they would have sent home Valentina based on the roast, had they gotten the chance to pull their lipsticks, to which Valentina responds: “Oh girl I was hilarious, I was feeling my fantasy on that stage.” No one agrees.
• “I’m not going off of the critiques I’m going off of what I felt. I don’t believe anything the judges were saying because I was good, girl.” – More delusional Valentina
• Latrice spilling the truest tea in Drag Race herstory: “We don’t talk about All Stars 1 because that was a shoddy situation.”
• Naomi actually got some screen time this episode
• “You keep saying that but that’s not going to be my narrative because that’s not how I feel girl!” – Trinity to Gia who’s trying to stir the pot again.
• “Trans or not, I can always be a drag performer.” Gia is a great representation of the diversity of the drag community, and I’m glad she got a chance to show that.
• “You old school…and you old.” – Latrice to Jasmine
• Ru is slaaaaying that runway again this week in a pink and white mini dress. All legs, no dairy!
• “Is that her rosebud or her glitter-ris?” – Carson about Jasmine’s floral outfit.
• Manila is wearing a spaghetti dress and it’s so cue and campy and very her
• Trinity comes out in a full cloak, wonder if she’s doing a reveal for the lipsync? (that was sarcasm)
• Monique speaking the truth about RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars in general: “This is our Super Bowl, this is the gay Super Bowl!”
• “As of this moment, All Stars rules have been reinstated. Which means, urine tests are in full effect.” – Ru