This week’s episode of Drag Race ended with one hell of a dramatic twist, when RuPaul summoned Eureka O’Hara to the stage and sent her home, saying that it would be impossible for her to continue in the competition in light of her knee injury.
Eureka suffered a torn ACL in episode two’s cheerleading challenge – coincidentally, eliminated queen Charlie Hides cracked a rib during this same physically-demanding routine, proving that drag may actually be a contact sport after all.
O’Hara did not realise how serious her injury was until the pain in her knee forced her to spend the whole Kardashian family challenge on crutches – she still turned it out in the role of North West, but sadly, it was time for her to go.
During the tearful elimination, RuPaul told O’Hara that she had an open invitation to come back for season ten of Drag Race, if her injuries healed in time, and speaking to media this week, she said she plans to to just that.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, O’Hara explained the terror she felt when she saw a producer approach the judges’ panel after watching the bottom two queens Farrah Moan and Cynthia Lee Fontaine lip sync for their lives:
“[I thought] either they both slayed and are staying or they’re both leaving. [Then] I was like, ‘oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.’ My butthole got tighter and tighter… and [when Ru said my name], I got light-headed. I thought she was going to say they recalculated and I was in the bottom two.”
In a separate interview with the New York Times, O’Hara acknowledged that her elimination was fair, saying:
“[Professionally], due to insurance purposes, liability, things like that, it makes perfect sense that with them openly knowing that I need to have a surgery, there’s no way they could’ve legally allowed me to stay to compete. The risk of me hurting myself worse, them knowing that and allowing me to continue would be a legal liability to them that could result in lawsuits or violation of some practices with professional settings. So I think the way it was handled was probably the most professional and respectful way that they could’ve handled it.”
As for season ten, O’Hara says that she is “doing really well” after her knee surgery, and as long as it is medically possible, she will definitely be back next season, saying:
“Yeah, as far as I know. As long as the doctor releases me and nothing crazy happens before then. I don’t want to jinx it, but if the powers allow it and they’re opening my invitation, I will definitely be there.”
For the record, O’Hara said her personal favourite queens this season are Nina Bo’nina Brown, Peppermint and Sasha Velour … whether they end up in the top three remains to be seen.
Photo: Instagram.
