- 6 months ago
Step behind the sequins and spotlights to uncover moments when Drag Race queens and staff lifted the veil on RuPaul’s behind-the-scenes reality. From surprising revelations about RuPaul’s involvement in production and hosting to disputes, wardrobe vetoes, and candid interactions, these insider stories paint a complex picture of the iconic drag legend. Get ready for some juicy truth from those who have lived the Drag Race experience!
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00:00Um, I would ask her if she went to visit her friend Matthew yet, because I know she hasn't seen him in a while.
00:05Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're untucking some of the juiciest secrets about the queen of drag herself, RuPaul,
00:12straight from the mouths of the queens and crew who have worked with her behind the scenes.
00:16I was there for you as the person who, um, was gonna keep their mouths shut.
00:21You've written two books and that's all you could write to me?
00:24Art Simone.
00:26Drag Race is full of surprises, but one thing the queens can count on in pretty much every regular episode is the Rue Mail,
00:33the cheeky video where RuPaul teases the week's maxi challenge.
00:36My queens, time to spread your charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, because if you can't sell yourself, how in the hell are you gonna sell something else?
00:47These segments typically feature RuPaul in full drag, but as Tatiana once said,
00:52What you see isn't always the truth.
00:57According to Drag Race Down Under season one finalist Art Simone, RuPaul actually appeared in the Rue Mail videos out of drag during her season.
01:04And sometimes, she didn't even appear at all.
01:07Sometimes they just make you react to a blank screen.
01:10Oh no!
01:11I've told this story before, but all of our RuPaul videos for the first chunk were her out of drag just in a tracksuit, because they hadn't been able to film them yet.
01:18While that reportedly changed in later seasons, RuPaul became even more absent from the Down Under franchise by its fourth season, when she handed over all hosting duties to Michelle Visage.
01:28It's my pleasure to introduce the new host of Drag Race Down Under, my best Judy, and a drag queen's best friend, Michelle Visage.
01:41Hello, hello, hello!
01:45Reddit user comtart5517
01:48The identity of this individual is still unknown, but in 2023, a Reddit user named comtart5517 popped up, claiming to be a former Drag Race producer with piping hot behind-the-scenes tea.
02:01According to comtart, while other executive producers can offer input on eliminations, it is RuPaul who gets the final say on who shantays and who sashays away.
02:11I've consulted with the judges, but the final decision is mine to make.
02:15That power was reportedly invoked in season 15, which was supposedly rigged for a Sasha Colby Mistress Isabel Brooks top two.
02:23RuPaul allegedly stepped in to save Anitra from elimination during the RuMix episode, clearing the way for her to bump Mistress.
02:31For the first time this season, shantay you both stay.
02:36The anonymous insider also claimed that Georges' controversial design win in season 14 was entirely RuPaul's doing, but hardly anyone finds that surprising.
02:50Georges, you are one smart cookie.
02:55Conjagulations, you are the winner of this week's challenge.
02:59Tammy Brown
02:59Drag Race fans know that Tammy Brown has never been one to hold her tongue, no matter who she's talking to or about.
03:06You forgot who you are!
03:09You forgot, Tammy.
03:10You forgot you're fabulous.
03:11Don't blame me for that.
03:12That's your f***ing responsibility.
03:14Use your mouth.
03:16So it's not at all surprising she was one of the first queens to spill some backstage secrets.
03:21While the first season of All Stars was still airing, Tammy had an interview with a YouTuber,
03:26during which she discussed her experience on the show and how the controversial team twist didn't faze her.
03:31I think if I was left with anybody, I would have made it work.
03:35It wasn't a big deal.
03:35It's not that hard to do that.
03:37Right.
03:37While speaking about her beef with the judges, Tammy casually implied that RuPaul wears an earpiece on set, through which she is fed her lines.
03:45Same thing with RuPaul.
03:47I've told him a lot before, too, because no tea, no shade.
03:50They feed him everything in his ear.
03:51Oh!
03:53Oh!
03:53Oh!
03:54Oh!
03:54Oh!
03:54Oh, Ms. Tammy!
03:56Although this isn't particularly shocking, considering it is a TV show, it did take some of the shine off RuPaul's witty remarks and comebacks.
04:04Cynthia Lee Fontaine
04:05Cynthia Lee Fontaine happily picked up the baton where Tammy Brown left it.
04:10In a series of now-deleted tweets from 2022, the Season 8 Miss Congeniality backed up Tammy's claims,
04:16confirming that RuPaul does, in fact, wear an earpiece during filming.
04:19Cut.
04:21Ms. Cynthia Lee, you just left out the word gay when you said this company needs a strong gay woman.
04:28Yes.
04:28Because that's the joke.
04:30She also spilled that RuPaul and the other judges change into more comfortable clothes and shoes behind the panel,
04:36something Utica referenced during her infamous roast on Season 13.
04:39RuPaul, you are such a fashion icon.
04:41If you could stand up for us, please.
04:43Additionally, Cynthia claimed that the judges typically have iPads in front of them while the queens walk the runway.
04:55These devices not only display the full pictures of the queens' looks, but also their names,
05:00because we all know RuPaul doesn't have the best memory when it comes to her girls.
05:04Now, I call you Banana because you always wear yellow.
05:08And then, Safira, you know what I call you.
05:12Manila Luzon
05:13In the fourth episode of All Stars 4, Manila Luzon wowed the judges with her performance
05:18in the Jersey Justice Improv Challenge and her runway presentation.
05:22I am padded for the gods.
05:24I feel like Louis XIV Rococo Chanel.
05:28I'm giving you body-yoddy-yoddy, old-school style.
05:32However, the quilted pink dress was not her original choice.
05:36After the episode aired, Manila took to Instagram to reveal the outfit she really wanted to wear,
05:41a dress designed to look like a giant bloody maxi pad.
05:44Her intention was to help destigmatize menstruation, a perfectly normal bodily function that society somehow still treats like a dirty little secret.
05:52However, RuPaul reportedly found the look in, quote,
05:55bad taste and insisted she change outfits.
05:59The moment served as yet another reminder that on Drag Race, RuPaul is in control of every single detail.
06:05Jeremy Carey, formerly known as Fifi O'Hara
06:15The former drag performer known as Fifi O'Hara caused quite a stir during both of his appearances on Drag Race.
06:21Go back and do your only one look that you got.
06:23Oh, I have one look?
06:25Tired-ass showgirl.
06:26F*** you.
06:27At least I am a showgirl, b***h.
06:29Go back to Party City where you belong.
06:31Following a tense run on season four,
06:33Carey returned for All-Stars with dreams of a redemption arc,
06:36but that didn't go as planned.
06:38He butted heads with multiple queens, particularly Alyssa Edwards,
06:42and felt that he was once again cast as the villain of the season.
06:45These are my opinions.
06:45So why couldn't you say that to me, though?
06:47I didn't need to.
06:48You're that girl I knew you were.
06:49You know what? You're looking foolish by sitting there acting like a child.
06:52So you can do that, and that'll be cute. I'm done.
06:54In a later interview, Carey called out RuPaul for unfollowing him on Twitter
06:58and clapping back at his comments with a shady Jessica Rabbit gif.
07:02He went on to say that he lost all respect for RuPaul,
07:05accusing the host of rarely interacting with the queens,
07:08forgetting their names, and essentially treating them less like real people
07:11and more like, quote, game pieces for her show.
07:14I've been trying so hard throughout this entire competition.
07:18Ah! And you guys like it. I don't know what to say.
07:23All right. Thank you very much.
07:25Max.
07:26Before the Snatch Game episode on Season 7, Max was the clear frontrunner.
07:30But her momentum hit a speed bump that week.
07:33Let's go to Sharon Needles over here.
07:35I said haunted house.
07:38I'm sorry, but not a match, Sharon Needles.
07:40During the critiques, Max seemed uncomfortable in her corset and asked to take it off briefly.
07:45She then randomly burst into song while taking a break in front of the stage,
07:49which made her look like she had completely lost it.
07:52Max, are you okay?
07:53So I can quite recall overnight sensation.
08:00I took advantage of the moment.
08:02In subsequent interviews, Max has clarified what really happened.
08:06Apparently, it was RuPaul who asked her to sing to help calm her nerves.
08:09I guess they put it in as me just, like, singing to sing,
08:16even though I couldn't breathe a moment earlier,
08:18so I wouldn't have decided of my own volition to sing.
08:23But in the final edit, the moment was framed to make it look like she sang out of nowhere,
08:28while Ru watched on, concerned.
08:30Can she really fault the queens for blaming it on the edit?
08:33Delta Work
08:34This season three queen remains one of few Drag Race alumni to win a primetime Emmy award,
08:39which she picked up for styling RuPaul's hair.
08:42Delta Work held that job for multiple seasons,
08:44but she was let go during production of AJ and the Queen.
08:47The fallout, according to Delta,
08:49stemmed from her refusal to also style wigs for background extras.
08:53You need to become part of the union in order to be part of this show,
08:56and while you're at this show, you will be doing hair on extras.
08:59And I said, I don't do hair on extras, I do hair for the star of the show, and then I'm done.
09:04Though another stylist was hired for the show,
09:06Delta assumed her work on Drag Race would continue.
09:09But she eventually got an email from the host subtly telling her off.
09:13Hey, Dee, AJ has me busy.
09:16Working with Curtis from now on,
09:21let you know if I ever have extra work.
09:23And that was it.
09:23To add insult to injury,
09:25her name was taken off the Emmy's consideration list for season 11,
09:29despite styling Ru's wigs that season.
09:31The experience, Delta admits,
09:33made her see RuPaul in a very different light.
09:36And that's when I realized I can always have respect for the image of the supermodel.
09:39I always will.
09:40But I question the ethics of a person like that.
09:42Pearl.
09:43Jeremy Carey isn't the only former contestant
09:46who's spoken about RuPaul's apparent detachment from the Queen's off-camera.
09:49Season 7 finalist Pearl also addressed it in interviews
09:52after her run on the show ended.
09:54Pearl is mostly remembered for her iconic workroom standoff with RuPaul,
09:58after the host called her out for her lack of enthusiasm.
10:05So there's something on my face?
10:09No, I'm just not convinced.
10:10I'm just not convinced.
10:12As awkward as that moment was on screen,
10:14Pearl revealed it was way more uncomfortable in real life
10:17and had to be edited down.
10:19She also recounted another alleged incident during filming,
10:22when she tried to express her admiration for RuPaul,
10:25but was told to save it for the cameras.
10:27Just giving her, you know, that whole,
10:28like everything I've ever wanted to say to her.
10:30And she turned to me and she said,
10:33nothing you say matters unless that camera is rolling.
10:38According to Pearl,
10:42that was the moment she mentally checked out from the competition.
10:45And that is the reason why I had one foot in,
10:50one foot out the entire time I was on that show.
10:52Before we continue,
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11:06Willem.
11:08Your actions have consequences.
11:12And I'm afraid you leave me no choice.
11:15Willem, I have to ask you to leave the competition immediately.
11:20Ever since she was unceremoniously disqualified from season four,
11:24Willem has made it her job to be a constant thorn in the side of RuPaul and World of Wonder.
11:29She has called out the host for behaving high and mighty on the show
11:32and reportedly telling the Drag Race queens that they exist solely to serve her own legacy.
11:36Yeah, she doesn't care.
11:38She doesn't know some of our names, you know?
11:40I mean, there's videos of DragCon of her not knowing people's names, so...
11:43Willem has also never missed a chance to slam RuPaul
11:45for apparently neglecting her longtime stylist, Matthew Anderson,
11:48who worked with her until the ninth season of Drag Race.
11:51According to Willem,
11:53RuPaul has barely visited Anderson,
11:55who has been hospitalized for years with an undisclosed illness.
11:58And the good people at World of Wonder are nice enough to foot the bill for his care,
12:01but nobody goes to visit him, which is weird.
12:04Other than me, I see the sign-out sheet.
12:05So yeah, I would ask her if she visited Matthew recently.
12:08Their falling out over this issue allegedly led to an explosive argument
12:12between the two on the streets of L.A.
12:14Have any of these accounts tainted your perception of the queen of drag?
12:17Or do you take them with a grain of salt?
12:19Share your thoughts in the comments below.
12:22Maybe that's me thinking that it should have been something
12:24that I never should have expected it to be.
12:26But in that moment, it was like so heartbreaking.
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