Tag: RuPaul’s Drag Race

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Cast Announced For Season 4 Of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars”

VH1 has announced the queens returning to the mainstage to compete in the fourth season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.”

The reality competition is set to return with supersized, 90-minute episodes and more stunning fashions, killer lip-syncs, and jaw-dropping twists than ever before.

“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” premieres on Friday, December 14th at 8:00 PM ET/PT on VH1.

The ten super queens competing to prove that they’re ready to become “Drag Race” royalty in the fourth season of “All Stars” include:

Farrah Moan (Season Nine)
Farrah moaned her way through season nine, and your favorite Vegas showgirl is back for “All Stars” four! The cotton candy queen may have gotten lost in her emotions in her season, but on “All Stars,” she’s ready to highlight (wink) her talents…. She wants to prove to the world that she’s more than just a cry baby and take her place on a pink pedestal in the “Drag Race” Hall of Fame!

Gia Gunn (Season Six)
Gia Gunn is back, but does she have the firepower to blast her way into the “Drag Race” Hall of Fame? Absolutely. Gia wants to show she’s more than sassy catchphrases from season six. She’s fully seasoned and ready to snatch that “All Stars” crown!

Jasmine Masters (Season Seven)
Her name is Jasmine Masters, and she has something to say… she’s here, b*tches! Back for more, on “All Stars” four! Since season seven, Jasmine has gone viral on social media making her the ultimate “meme queen.” But Jasmine wants to prove she packs more than a punchline and has the skills to take home the crown.

Latrice Royale (Season Four and “All Stars” One)
She’s large and in charge, chunky yet funky… she is Latrice Royale! Latrice competed on season four and as half of “Team Latrila” on “All Stars” one, but she failed to make her way to the top both times. She’s back in the werkroom to prove that an OG queen can serve it to the younger queens and finally secure her spot in the “Drag Race” Hall of Fame!

Manila Luzon (Season Three and “All Stars” One)
Runner-up on season three and gone-too-soon on “All Stars” one, Manila is back again hoping the third time is the charm. She’s got a closet full of campy couture and the comedic chops to make Manila an “All Stars” thrilla, but will it be enough to finally take home the “Drag Race” crown?

Monét X Change (Season Ten)
On her season, Monet X Change won the hearts of all and the Miss Congeniality title. Fresh off of season 10, she’s back with a fire lit under her padded ass to serve some polished looks and prove she has everything it takes to soak up the “All Stars” crown!

Monique Heart (Season Ten)
Monique Heart came to Season 10 with talent, glitter, and Jesus… What she lacked was the funds for a closet full of costumes. Since her season, she’s performed all over the world, making that coin and amassing a stunning collection of lerks. Monique is back for “All Stars,” reclaiming her time, and vying for a spot in the “Drag Race” Hall of Fame!

Naomi Smalls (Season Eight)
On Season eight, Naomi Smalls put the LEG in “legendary” and stomped her way into the top three. She’s back on “All Stars” to prove she can outperform the best of ‘em and to show the world you should never underestimate the tall, pretty fashion model.

Trinity Taylor (Season Nine)
Trinity Taylor is back as Trinity the Tuck… and this tuck has teeth! On Season nine the pageant queen, with body for days, made us laugh all the way to the top four. But now, full “All Star” confidence, she’s here to claim her seat in the “Drag Race” Hall of Fame.

Valentina (Season Nine)
It’s fan favorite, Valentina! She was chopped from season nine for not knowing the words, but since her season, there’s no masking her talent. The glamorous, high fashion, Latin American diva is back on “All Stars” for her Telenovela redemption story…. and the “All Stars” crown.

Viewers will also get a holiday treat this year with “RuPaul’s Drag Race Holi-slay Spectacular” premiering Friday, December 7th at 8:00 PM ET/PT on VH1.

The one-hour holiday-themed episode will bring back franchise favorites including Eureka O’Hara, Jasmine Masters, Kim Chi, Latrice Royale, Mayhem Miller, Shangela, Sonique, and Trixie Mattel as they compete for the title of America’s first “Drag Race Xmas Queen.”

(via press release)

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Big Night At The 2018 Emmy Awards For LGBTs

It was a great night for LGBT-themed entertainment last night at the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards as RuPaul's Drag Race and the FX series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story took home top honors in their categories.
RuPaul accepts the Emmy Award for “Best Reality Competition Series”

It was a great night for LGBT-themed entertainment last night at the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards as RuPaul’s Drag Race and the FX series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story took home top honors in their categories.

Making Emmy Award history, RuPaul’s Drag Race won for “Best Reality Competition Series” and RuPaul took home his own Emmy for “Best Host of a Reality Competition Series.” This is the first time one series has won both awards in the reality category in the same year.

Accepting the honor for the series, RuPaul thanked all those who have supported and contributed to the success of the show, as well as, “all of the dreamers out there.”

The ‘Supermodel of the World’ closed his thanks by reminding folks, “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else.”

In the “Best Limited Series” category, The Assassination of Gianni Versace garnered three Emmys last night, adding to the two won last week at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

In addition to the “Best Limited Series” trophy, Darren Criss, who turned in a star turn as gay serial killer Andrew Cunanan, won for “Best Actor in a Limited Series.”

And uber-gay creator and producer of the show, Ryan Murphy, won the award for Directing for the Gianni Versace episode, “The Man Who Would Be Vogue.”

In accepting the award for “Best Limited Series,” he dedicated the moment to the LGBTQ community.

Here’s the full list of 2018 Emmy Award winners:

Drama Series

Game of Thrones (HBO)

Comedy Series

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

Limited Series

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)

Lead actress in a drama series

Claire Foy in The Crown

Lead actor in a drama series

Matthew Rhys in The Americans

Lead actress in a limited series or movie

Regina King in Seven Seconds

Lead actor in a limited series or movie

Darren Criss in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Lead actress in a comedy series

Rachel Brosnahan in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Lead actor in a comedy series

Bill Hader in Barry

Supporting actor in a drama series

Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones

Supporting actress in a drama series

Thandie Newton in Westworld

Supporting actor in a comedy series

Henry Winkler in Barry

Supporting actress in a comedy series

Alex Borstein in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Supporting actor in a limited series or movie

Jeff Daniels in Godless

Supporting actress in a limited series or movie

Merritt Wever in Godless

Reality-competition program

RuPaul’s Drag Race

Variety talk series

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

Variety sketch series

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Directing for a comedy series

Amy Sherman-Palladino for: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (‘Pilot’)

Directing for a drama series

Stephen Daldry for: The Crown (‘Paterfamilias’)

Directing for a limited series, TV movie or dramatic special

Ryan Murphy for: The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (‘The Man Who Would Be Vogue’)

Writing for a comedy series

Amy Sherman-Palladino, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (“Pilot”)

Writing for a drama series

Joel Fields and Joe Weisberg for: The Americans (‘Start’)

Writing for a limited series, TV movie or dramatic special

William Bridges and Charlie Brooker for: USS Callister: Black Mirror

Writing for a variety series

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

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Podcast: Cynthia Nixon’s Gubernatorial Race Comes To An End, Emmy Awards For LGBTs

In this week’s podcast: While ‘Sex and the City’ star Cynthia Nixon fell short in her bid to become the Democratic nominee for governor in New York state, she did change the election’s trajectory. Plus…

• A Pennsylvania university will not let a gay man take his last two classes for his degree.

• A new study shows same-sex couples are getting married at an older age than heterosexuals.

• RuPaul and the Fab Five celebrated at this year’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report.

Hit the play button below. AND – don’t forget to share 🙂

Continue reading “Podcast: Cynthia Nixon’s Gubernatorial Race Comes To An End, Emmy Awards For LGBTs”

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Why Andrew Rannells Told @MonetXChange To “Sashay Away!”

Andrew Rannells explains to Seth Meyers why he told RuPaul's Drag Race contestant Monet X Change to 'sashay away!"
Andrew Rannells

Andrew Rannells (Girls, Book of Mormon), currently starring in the acclaimed Broadway revival of The Boys in the Band, sat down last night on The Late Show with Seth Meyers this week and his recent judging appearance on a special Broadway-themed episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race came up.

Rannells clearly enjoyed his guest spot on RPDR, especially the lighting: “The best lighting ever on that show – I look like a fetus!”

Rannells shared that after the queens had done their final walks, Monet X Change gave a “very sweet” speech about getting tickets to see Rannells’ wonderful performance in Spring Awakening on Broadway (Rannells never appeared in Spring Awakening).

Monet also gushed about seeing Rannells delivering snacks and goodies to kids outside the theater, waiting in line to see Spring Awakening. (Repeat – Rannells never appeared in Spring Awakening).

“He finished the whole speech, and then I said, ‘that’s Jonathan Groff!’” quipped Rannells.

“And then he said, ‘No, no, no, I meant Book of Mormon,’ and I said, too late! Sashay away!”

In all fairness, it’s worth noting that Rannells has replaced the handsome Mr. Groff in roles on Broadway (Hamilton), and they both exude boyish, charming personalities.

But, Monet got it wrong.

Just goes to show you a queen can be fierce in or out of drag.

Watch the interview below where Rannells also chats on getting a phone call from Kristin Chenoweth out of the blue and the upcoming midnight Actors Fund charity performance of The Boys in the Band.

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Chatting With Drag Star Berlin Stiller From The CBC Series “Canada’s A Drag”

Berlin Miller

While there’s no Canadian version of RuPaul’s Drag Race, CBC Arts has produced Canada’s a Drag, a new series of short documentaries that sent out filmmakers from communities across Canada to profile a group of drag performers — both kings and queens.

The series began a few weeks ago with Toronto’s Allysin Chaynes followed by Edmonton’s Lourdes the Merry Virgin, Winnipeg with Prairie Sky, Montreal with both Tranie Tronic and Guizo La Nuit, Vancouver with Berlin Stiller, Halifax with Elle Noir and then back to Toronto with Gay Jesus and Sofonda Cox.

I recently got a chance to chat with Vancouver’s Berlin Stiller (who’s episode airs tonight) about the exposure, the power of drag and how its impacted the acclaimed drag queen’s life.

The Randy Report: In that RuPaul’s Drag Race has brought so much attention (and acclaim) to the drag community, do you feel the show has helped the drag community in Canada as well?

Berlin Stiller: RuPaul has definitely had its influence in helping the drag scene at least here in Vancouver.

When I first left home and joined our fabulous gay village, we had really just a handful of queens I can remember.

As the show carried on and its popularity grew, we’ve seen a drag baby boom. Every year you can count on a new crop of barely legal gurls stomping into the clubs, serving it bigger and better than before. We have so much talent in our city and I feel as though Drag Race has played a big part in allowing others to feel confident and comfortable expressing themselves through the art of drag.

TRR: Why do you think there hasn’t been a Canadian version of Drag Race yet?

BS: That’s honestly hard to say. I don’t think there has been much of a platform (on an international level) for drag queens in Canada. I know there are many queens eagerly waiting in hopes of a Canadian spin off. However, I think Canada has a mark to make in Drag culture and when it does, maybe Ru will notice us over here.

TRR: You represent Vancouver in the new CBC series Canada’s A Drag. How was the experience shooting your episode? Have you seen your episode yet?

BS: The experience was honestly nerve wracking. The interview for me was the hardest. I speak about my personal struggles with my family not accepting me as well as my own personal acceptance. My journey into the drag community and my personal struggles with Alcohol and drugs.

I haven’t seen the episode yet but I’m looking forward to seeing it on Friday when it’s released. I’m nervous for my story to be out there in the open for the world. I was pretty open with what I had to say in my interview and fingers crossed, it’s received well.

TRR: Drag brings together so many facets of performing: acting, movement, comedy, fashion and makeup design. What would you like audiences to know about the art of drag?

BS: Drag has so much power, it’s art. It can give you a powerful platform to express what you are feeling, light up people lives, share artistry and to explore your own self.

I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had the opportunity discover myself and grow into the person I am today. Drag has done that for me and can do so or does for so many other people.

It’s not just about looks and beauty – Drag is an overall expression. For me acting, movement, comedy etc, are all smaller facets that help and compliment the deeper meaning of drag and complete the final art piece.

Berlin’s final piece of advice? “Just get through high school and everything will be so much easier. And don’t shave your eye brows off.”

Canada’s a Drag runs every Friday on CBC Arts.

Watch Berlin’s episode of Canada’s A Drag below. You can follow Berlin on Facebook here.

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Podcast: HIV Diagnoses Drop In NYC; Reviewing “Love, Simon;” Tony Award Winner Sammy Williams Of “A Chorus Line” Passes Away At 69

In this week’s podcast:

• HIV diagnoses hit a historic low in New York City

• A Texas newspaper removes a reference to a gay man’s husband in an obituary due to “religious beliefs”

• RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars 3 finale leaves some fans stunned

• RuPaul get his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

• My review of the new coming-out/coming-of-age movie Love, Simon

• Tony Award-winner Sammy Williams, whose groundbreaking performance of a young gay dancer in A Chorus Line, passes away at 69

All that and more in this episode of The Randy Report

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Video: How The Queens Voted On “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Finale

The eliminated queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 3

I’m seeing all these protests on social media denouncing last night’s winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars Season 3.

(Spoiler alert)

Here’s how it went down:

The four finalists each had an interview with the eliminated queens. Once the interviews were completed, the jury cast their votes for the two queens they wanted to sing for lip-sync for the title.

Apparently, fans saw Shangela as the “obvious” winner but in the end it was Trixie Mattel who would triumph.

I’m not an expert on the art of drag so I’m not your guy to say if Trixie was or wasn’t the fiercest.

But people are upset.

During the show, the viewers weren’t allowed to see how the eliminated queens chose the two finalists who would move to the final lip-sync, but here’s the deleted scene that shows how they actually voted.

Fan favorite Shangela got very little support.

Watch how the queens voted below.

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News Round-Up: January 19, 2018

(image via Instagram)

Some news items you might have missed:

• Can we start the weekend admiring Nick Jonas (above) admiring his NY Yankees hat in the background? #TheresAHat?

• Indonesia’s IT Ministry is asking Google to block  LGBT-related networking apps.

• Check out the newly-announced list of nominees for the 2018 GLAAD Media Awards here.

• House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will be a guest judge on an upcoming episode of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” #YouBettaWerk

• And speaking of, on the latest episode of Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations podcast, RuPaul shares what he’s learned from drag: “What it teaches people is that all things are temporary. Everything’s temporary: just clothes, some paint, powder – this body, even, is temporary.”

• The FBI is looking into whether a top Russian banker funneled money through the National Rifle Association to help elect Donald Trump. It’s illegal to use foreign funds to influence federal elections, and the NRA spent $30 million on Trump’s behalf in 2016.

• Warning: NSFW – Fischerspooner shares their new single and music video, “TopBrazil,” from their upcoming album, Sir, produced by Michael Stipe due out February 16.

In the video, shadow and light create a collage of naked male bodies becoming one, all the while blurring the lines of masculinity and femininity.

Spooner explains, “The video celebrates a pop aesthetic typically reserved for the female archetype and liberates the male form to be sexual, expressive and fearless.”

I think it’s a very cool video, but again – Adult Content.

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RuPaul Wins Second Consecutive Emmy Award As Host Of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”

Last night, RuPaul won his second consecutive Emmy Award for Outstanding Host of a Variety, Nonfiction Or Reality Program for RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The reality competition was nominated for 7 Emmys. In addition to Outstanding Host, the show took home the awards for Outstanding Costumes (duh) and Picture Editing.

Still to come – the Primetime Emmy Awards show on September 17 on CBS where Drag Race is up for Best Reality Competition Series.

This follows the most successful season yet for Drag Race after moving from LOGO to VH1.

From the floor of the DragCon convention, Ru expressed his gratitude and thanks closing with “Thank you, Television Acedemy. You make this queen so proud! Mwah!”

Watch below.

was nominated for a total of seven Emmys—taking home awards for Outstanding Costumes and Picture Editing. The show is also up for Best Reality Competition Series at the Primetime Emmys, airing September 17 on CBS.