We asked Drag Race All Star Naomi Smalls whom she’d save from a fire in the RuPaul’s Drag Race “Werk Room,” and her answer was telling.

Is It Wrong to Send Home the Strong?

There has been a lot of conversation among the contestants of Drag Race All Stars Season 4 about why a queen should go home.

“Report Card” queens suggest sending home the queen with the worst record. Consider who has been in the bottom two the most and send her packing. Consider who has won the most or served sickening lewks and throw her a rope.

However, queens have considered a variety of factors. Some queens save sisters with whom they have a bond outside the competition. Other queens may have alliances or want to save the competitors with whom they will work best in future challenges. And, yes, sometimes a strategic queen sees the chance to eliminate a strong competitor on a rare stumble.

Ultimately, there’s one very good reason any queen should go home from Drag Race All Stars: her name is on the lipstick in the hand of a winner, baby.

The Truth about All Stars Rules

There has been great uproar among the Drag Race fandom about the fact that Naomi Smalls sent Manila Luzon home. It’s easy to understand people getting emotional about Manila’s exit. She’s a beloved queen who is a very special part of Drag Race herstory. It’s harder to understand the vitriol against Naomi.

First of all, making a move against strong competition is a reality show convention that goes back to the earliest days of Survivor. Secondly, contestants still face consequences for making these kinds of power moves. At the very least, they risk incurring the wrath of Mother RuPaul, which could land them in the bottom two.

Perhaps even more importantly, a legacy lip sync winner who cuts down a beloved queen risks alienating fans. Original Flavor Drag Race contestants have faced vicious backlash for merely winning a lip sync their lives. All Stars end up with even more blood on their hands.

There have been widespread rumors that fans of Manila have been attending Naomi Smalls’ shows in order to disrupt them as some form of punishment. This has happened despite calls from past winners such as Bob the Drag Queen calling for civility.

Does that explain why, when we asked Naomi which of her sister queens she would save from a fire in the Werk Room, Naomi picked just one? See her choice in our exclusive video.

“Metrosource wants to know – if the Werk Room was on fire – who would I save, and who would I leave behind?” I would save Monet X. Change because I love that bitch, and I would leave behind all those little RuPaul trophies because I never want to take one home.

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Last modified: February 13, 2019