Another episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under has arrived, and boy was it an absolute doozy. In fact, it was one of the longest episodes so far, and I have many, many thoughts. It’s a good thing I get to express them right here in this RuCap. Come along now, let’s get into it.
Coco Jumbo, who brought the coco loco and the jumbo fun is gone, and barely anybody mourns her absence. It’s a bit odd to witness given the fact that Coco is simply HUGE in Sydney, and we all love her here. Alas, drag queens are gonna keep on draggin’, and this is a competition after all.
Elektra starts causing shit, because she has no idea why RuPaul hates her so much. I’m guessing when she watches her runways back on the telly, she will understand, but for now, she does not.
She starts having a tiff with Etc Etc and Scarlet Adams (who are performing better than her), because she wants to prove that she’s worth more than a couple of jump splits and a thirsty wig.
We shall see Elektra. We shall see.
RuPaul then appears in the New Zealand studio (cc: Abbie Chatfield) and talks to the queens, in person, because he is there, in person.
He then brings in the trash for today’s main challenge, and all I can stare at is the junk in the trunks of the Pit Crew.
Hubba Hubba, hooly dooly, words escape me. I’m horny on main.
And when I say bring in the trash I mean that literally. It’s a tip full of garbage items that the queens need to make outfits out of, which is an iconic challenge that I’m glad they brought out.
However, something is a-rustlin’ in the tip, and out pops Art Simone, who is coming back into the competition after her shock elimination in episode 2. Why? Nobody really knows, but hey, we’ll take it.
Unfortunately, that means the only two eliminated queens are now the only POC from the competition, but I’ll let you make what you will of that fact. Justice for Jojo until I die.
The queens get constructing on their masterpiece lewks, and boy do they have some strange fkn items to pick from.
Every time I watch challenges like this I just think about how I’d grab a plastic chair from the tip, haute couture idea in mind, and then just end up sitting on it and crying.
Kudos to these queens for actually coming up with concepts out of gingham, pool noodles and inflatable toys.
Karen from Finance then has a moment of reflection upon her position in the competition now that her rival Art Simone has returned. Because the two are incredibly popular, the show is clearly trying to make a narrative between the two butting heads constantly.
Fact is they actually really like each other, but Karen worries that now that Art is back, her climb to the top of the corporate ladder may be harder than she initially thought.
Maybe this is why they brought Art back. Just a thought. Can’t have Karen breezing all the way to her win now, can we?
Meanwhile, Elektra is fkn mad, still. She’s just really tired of getting bad critiques, which is kinda fair because last week the judges said she was too good, thus had to be in the bottom.
Yes, too good is apparently a fair criticism of someone’s performance. But hey, she was also outshining her team in a bad way, so it was warranted.
Meanwhile, Anita Wigl’it is having dress issues, and everyone is calling her dress shit. Could this be foreshadowing? Absolutely not. (Spoilers: It was.)
Ru then enters the New Zealand werk room, where he begins to interact with the queens, because he is definitely in the room and not in front of a green screen (bcc: Abbie Chatfield again).
Kita Mean then talks about giving toothy blowies, and Karen brings up the idea that she wants to play Schapelle Corby on the runway, which really she should have done for Snatch Game, but hey, I guess we’ll settle for a poor man’s Dolly Parton.
Following this, Elektra decides to show Ru her pretty drawing of a kangaroo hunter (??) that she drew while she was preparing her outfit. It’s definitely one of the oddest moments in Drag Race Down Under so far.
The picture even has “fur from the body of my victims” written on it, and I think it’s safe to say that Elektra is going through something right now.
Ru then recommends that she maybe does something that looks good on the runway instead of trying to scare the other contestants away with a self-made shotgun.
Also how the fuck was she going to make a shotgun??? And why????
Scarlet and Elektra then enter into a tiff because Scarlet says that there is more to drag than just jumping into one thousand splits (which Elektra does).
It’s a fun little brawl where the two basically threaten to do better than the other in the competition, but like, that’s the point loves. You should want to win every time you’re out there… no?
Kita and Art are obsessed with the shade, literally, because Art Simone has an umbrella from the trash bin with her.
Etc Etc also stops work to admire the fkn shade being thrown across the room.
Fuck it, even that random angel statue in the Drag Race Down Under werk room is living for the drama.
I’m so glad the lighting budget went to the angel decor instead, because it’s a much nicer touch than actually being able to see the queens when they step out on stage <3.
Etc Etc, who is absolutely being slept on by the judges BTW, begins to open up about the fact that they identify with the nonbinary gender marker, and it’s one of the most heartfelt moments we’ve had so far on the show.
I’m personally rooting for Etc Etc to go far, because even though they have landed safe in the Drag Race Down Under challenges, they are absolutely bringing it every time. Three cheers for this legend.
It’s Drag Race Down Under runway time, and Ru appears in a gorgeous green and gold look, which is clearly a homage to Subway (eat fresh). Odd choice, she could have definitely gone for something more Aussie?
Jokes aside, the look is bomb.
Ru also introduces trans actor Elz Carrad, lead actor in Rūrangi, and the first actual guest judge on Drag Race Down Under.
Ru also swears he’s definitely seen Rūrangi, and calls it “powerful and funny” with the most unconvincing grin. I truly died. Ru never fails to accidentally amuse.
The queens then strut their stuff on the runway, utilising the dim lighting to their advantage.
Etc Etc looks stunning, Art looks polished as hell, and Karen looks… like Schappelle Corby. She has a massive blunt and a boogie board, and I have one million questions.
First of all, why the fuck??
Secondly, when are you passing that thing around queen?
Critiques time, and Ru beautifully calls Karen’s look something that’s inspired by “Schavel Corgi”, which is hilariously American of him.
She also calls Karen’s look lacklustre as hell. Ouch.
Meanwhile Maxi gets some bloody good critiques (good on ya legend) and Etc Etc does not (literally what the fuck).
It’s a weird bunch of feedback aimed at the queens, and if you want a picture that best summarises the clusterfuck that is the critiques process, have a look at this pic right here.
Meanwhile Kita Mean and Elektra Shock are safe for arguably the worst outfits on the runway. Kita just had a bunch of balls glued to her, and Elektra made a strange-looking dress. Somehow, Etc Etc was considered worse, alongside Anita and Karen.
Etc Etc is so pissed, in fact, that they allow Kita’s headpiece umbrella thing to suck the life out of their smooth brain in confessionals. Who needs a brain when the judging is so fkn awful?
The bottom two is announced to be Karen and Anita though, because I guess they were the worst? Be still my typing hands, do not question the strange and almighty decisions of Ru…
Karen also decides to dab on stage because she’s an absolute goofball. We stan.
The two lipsync it out to Dannii Minogue‘s ‘I Begin To Wonder’, and where the hell was this two episodes ago, y’know, when Dannii and Kylie were actually on the episode?
A very strange decision, but I cannot complain.
Actually, you know what? I can. Bad decision. Me angry. No, no. There, I said it. That felt good.
Unsurprisingly, frontrunner Karen from Finance takes the take on this one, with her stunning lyrical delivery and comedic timing.
This means we have to bid adieu to the incredible Anita Wigl’it, and I am incredibly sad to see her go so soon. I mean, she won a fkn challenge and some people haven’t won any at all, and have also been doing a lot worse.
Give the white girl another go she deserves it! #DragRaceDownUnder
— Coco Jumbo! (@_cocojumbo) May 22, 2021
Anita, we love you, and I love your energy so fkn much. Absolutely one of the best queens on Drag Race Down Under, and I cannot believe you’re gone.
