HUNTY GAMES: Drag Race Season 6 Premieres With “Rupaul’s Big Opening”

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Every Tuesday morning Philly party producer and drag queen enthusiast Josh Schonewolf recaps the latest episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

The gay Super Bowl (aka Rupaul’s Drag Race) returned last night, and season six seems to be bigger and better than the others. Fourteen queens, crazy challenges, a big bucket of shade, and Rupaul herself make for an amazing show that everyone is obsessed with. Almost every gay bar in town was showing it, because Drag Race truly has become an important and exciting TV experience in the community.

Last night, in a twist of gay fate, only seven of the new crop of 14 were introduced: Adore Delano, Vi Vacious, April Carrion, Laganja Estranja, Kelly Mantle, BenDelaCreme, and Gia Gunn (see my rundown of the entire cast here.) Rupaul explained that two premieres are better than one, so last night was the first of a two-part season opener. This is Rupaul’s way of not letting anyone slip under the radar.

MINI-CHALLENGE: Hottie photographer Mike Ruiz spearheaded the challenge, having the queens jump from a high-surface into a bed of foam while serving body and mug for the camera. Some struggled. Vi Vacious, I’m looking at you. That damn head (named Ornacia) on top of her head was way too restrictive to let her serve anything but flop. Entertaining, but cray. Laganja came out on top, putting her high-energy dance ability to werq, and scoring the best pic. It was light years better than the rest

MAIN CHALLENGE: Laganja’s win earned her the distinction of assigning the other queens a TV show for the next challenge, where they would create costumes inspired by popular television programs. Ms. Carrion showed her fashion-forwardness, as her drab Duck Dynasty inspiration worked out to be one of the best. But the “terminally delightful” BenDelaCreme won the challenge in her Golden Girls-inspired garb, even though she admitted to hot-gluing the whole thing together. Vi Vacious, Adore Delano, and Kelly Mantle were the boogs of the runway. Even though Adore’s Honey Boo Boo frock bombed, she was pronounced safe. NYC club legend Vivacious was clocked as looking like a Carol

Channing-Edgar Allen Poe hybrid, and seasoned comedy queen Kelly’s busted wig and horrible bacon dress left us hungry. Thus these were the ladies who had to lip-sync for their liiiives.

LIP-SYNC: The song was “Express Yourself” by Madonna. Vi slayed Kelly, and even though Kelly’s famous uncle Mickey Mantle may have been the king of the home run, the gal struck out with her awkward dance moves. Plus, Vi lit up that stage like a volcano of fierce. Miss Kelly was dunzo from the start.

COMMENT FROM THE NEAREST DRAG QUEEN: “When I first started drag, we all had Kelly Mantle wigs. Pull that mess out of a bag, beat it up, and put it on your damn head. Kelly needed to go for that wig!” — The Goddess Isis