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“I always knew I was a ten, but I didn’t know I would end up in tenth place.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Interview: Scarlet Envy: “If Anyone Was Thrown Under the Bus, It Was Me”

By Christopher Rudolph

Scarlet Envy has had her last dance of the season on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The “southern beauty with New York City grit” was asked to sashay away this week after her disastrous dance skills during the Draglympics maxi-challenge. Scarlet came into the competition as a red hot bombshell — but some of the girls gave her the cold shoulder, eventually leading the queens to tell Ru that Scarlet should be the one sent packin’.

We spoke with Scarlet about her dancing moves, if she agreed with RuPaul’s decision to send her home, and if All Stars Season 5 was in her future.

MTV News: While you were packing up your workstation on Untucked you said you had “a lot to work on.” What did you learn about yourself while filming Drag Race?

Scarlet Envy: What I learned about myself was what I said while I was packing up. I’m never going to be a finished product. An eight count doesn’t define what your entire worth is. It’s a balancing act for Drag Race and beyond. Just existing day to day. It’s okay to be figuring that out.

MTV News: What surprised you the most about filming the show?

Envy: I always knew I was a ten, but I didn’t know I would end up in tenth place. Honestly, just how difficult it was. The dolls on TV make it look easy I guess, but it’s certainly not.

MTV News: Did your drag mother, [Drag Race Season 7 contestant] Pearl, have any advice for you?

Envy: She would have told me to definitely stay awake I think. She’s always been really supportive and lent me a bodysuit or two.

MTV News: I feel like you became a fan favorite. Your popularity kept increasing week over week. Was that a surprise to you? What did that feel like?

Envy: It was a surprise to me, but it was a pleasant surprise. I love all of the outpouring of love. That’s something I didn’t really expect because when I left the show I felt like I had let myself down and that has been a process to work through.

MTV News: You were very open about your lack of dancing skills. Did you think that not being able to dance would hurt you in the competition?

Envy: Absolutely! I’ve always been worried about that. My show lives in the more cabaret, downtown East Village world. People ask me if I’m as delusional in real life as I come across on television and I always answer: “Yes! I absolutely am!” That being said, I know what I can and can’t do. I’m aware of it.

MTV News: So when Ru asked all the girls who they thought should go home and all of them said you, were you surprised by that? What was going through your mind when that was happening?

Envy: You know, I will have to say I wasn't surprised by it. I knew somebody needed to take the blame, and you know — I'm not gonna stand in front of Mother Ru and say my own name. Surprised or not, I'm not gonna do that.

MTV News: I was surprised that Ra'Jah [O’Hara] was surprised that you said her name.

Envy: I think we all are. [Laughs] I mean, if anyone was thrown under the bus, it was me, by all of them. So for anybody to complain that they were thrown under the bus… yeah.

MTV News: You're very vocal about your lack of dance skills, but I loved your “Last Dance” Lip Sync for Your Life. I thought that was really fun. First off — where did those scissors come from?! When did you put those in your bra?

Envy: Just like any good queen, you always have a weapon between your tits. You never know when you're gonna need it. And it just completes your outfit! [Laughs] You know, I might not be the world's best dancer, but I am a performer and have survived onstage to keep the lights on. So, you know, she can serve you a show.

MTV News: You certainly proved it. Were you surprised by Ru's decision about who won the lip sync? I think fans were.

Envy: I was very surprised. I was surprised in person, and when I watched it back.

MTV News: What's coming up next for you?

Envy: Well, I have a cabaret show in New York coming in May at the Laurie Beechman Theater. I am also touring. I just wrapped up a Midwest tour where we hit up a lot of amazing cities. I'm really looking forward to DragCon, which is going to be my first DragCon as a Ru girl. It's gonna be really exciting. I just love interacting with fans — meet-and-greets are my favorite thing to do, other than dance. [Laughs]

MTV News: I feel a campaign has already been started by the fans for you to be on All Stars Season 5. So I If you got the call to be All Stars, would you do it?

Envy: Absolutely, I would do it! If Mama Ru calls, you know I'm gonna pick up the phone.

RuPaul's Drag Race airs Thursdays at 9/8c on VH1.