Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
One of the most underrated pleasures of watching RuPaul’s Drag Race is following along with the queens on Untucked, the Drag Race after-show. Up until two seasons ago, Untucked aired on LOGO directly after Drag Race, but last season, it got bumped to streaming-only. THE SHADE OF IT ALL. But oops! It turns out, streaming-only Untucked actually got a lot better. What once felt glossy and over-produced (every episode featured some kind of parlor game to keep the queens snapping at one another) was now stripped-down. And instead of contrived fights, the queens were allowed to get honestly real with one another. Now more than ever, Untucked is appointment viewing. So every week, we’re going to highlight the best, funniest, and most notable moments.
Untucked, Season 8, Episode 3
MVP: This was a big coming-out party for Chi-Chi Devayne. With Bob the Drag Queen In the top 3 for the first time this season, the backstage area was experiencing a bit of a personality vacuum. Not that Kim Chi, Naomi Smalls, and Naysha Lopez aren’t lovely queens, but nobody with a Bob-sized personality was there to carry the conversation. That is, until Chi-Chi stepped up and too center stage. As the queens got to discussing their taste in men and whether they’ve ever had sex in drag before, Chi Chi got rather animated while describing one such encounter. She also revealed herself as a major trash-talker. Her main object of scorn this week was Robbie Turner, whose acting-challenge flubs and rat-eaten wig (Chi Chi’s words) landed her in the bottom two. I have to say, though, I was rather into Robbie’s runway look this week; Robbie cited Farrah Fawcett as a reference, but all I was seeing was Gilda Radner in Jewess Jeans.
Roll the Footage!: After the top and bottom queens (speaking of Chi Chi Devayne) returned to the backstage area, Derrick Barry and Acid Betty wasted no time getting into it over Derrick’s Queen roller-disco runway look. Betty — who was in a mood all day, as we’ll discuss soon enough — took issue with Derrick’s claim that judge Carson Kressley was really into Derrick’s look. Bob took Betty’s side too, but the footage proved Derrick correct. Which isn’t to say Carson was. I liked Derrick’s Queen Frostine look, but maybe not for this challenge.
The More You Know: Apparently Kim Chi is real-life besties with Trixie Mattel from last season? That’s sweet. Whereas the old Untucked was in the habit of playing videos from the queens’ parents in order to coax some tears, the trend now appears to be past queens sending messages of hope to their IRL pals. It’s still not my favorite use of the backstage time, but at least it’s illuminating about the queens. Of course makeup-focused Kim would be friends with Trixie Mattel, whose face is like a human testing ground for makeup techniques. But I kid Trixie! Whom I actually love. Unlike …
Done No Favors: So on the show, Acid Betty had already been well established as this season’s villain. Not a kind word about anyone from her. But she really stepped up the hatefulness this week on Untucked. While Trixie’s video was playing — literally while she was saying “I love you” to Kim — Betty was loudly grousing about Trixie’s awful makeup. And rather than take the total lack of co-signage as a hint, Betty kept going with less and less subtlety. Kim was too classy (or conflict-averse) to clap back, but you know when you’ve got both Derrick and Bob agreeing that you were being too much of a bitch, you were probably being too much of a bitch.
Queens Helping Queens: It was too late to do her any good, but it was still heartening to watch the queens kindly inform Cynthia Lee Fontaine how she might have rehabbed that awful umbros-over-red-fishnets runway look.
Sashay Away: Oh, Cynthia. You were always going to be the Tammie Brown of this season. Too wonderful to not put on TV; too weird to last all that long. And honestly? When you’re given the choice to perform in roller skates or out of them, IN A ROLLER-SKATE CHALLENGE, you should keep them skates on. Still, in the words of RuPaul — the words that led to a A+ ugly-cry from Cynthia — “keep spreadin’ that cucu.”
