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From cursed challenge streaks to baffling casting firsts, the “Drag Race” franchise is packed with stats that sound made up but aren’t. Join us as we dive into the weirdest coincidences, behind-the-scenes quirks, and surprising records that make this series so endlessly rewatchable. Which fact shocked you the most? Sound off in the comments below!
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00:00And that's a fact. And facts are facts.
00:03Welcome to Ms. Mojo.
00:04And today we're counting down our picks for the most bizarre coincidences,
00:08statistical anomalies, and behind-the-scenes secrets
00:11that make the Drag Race franchise so uniquely captivating.
00:14I was shocked. I was appalled.
00:16I was confused. I was conflicted.
00:19I was concerned, but I was intrigued.
00:24Number 10. 2021 had Drag Race on TV basically every week.
00:31Attention, queens, in the pork chop loading dock.
00:35The departure van will be arriving soon.
00:39On behalf of the judges, we want to wish you safe travels.
00:44If the year 2021 felt like one long drag binge, that's because it kind of was.
00:49Between January and December, there was always at least one new episode
00:53airing somewhere in the franchise every week.
00:56RuPaul's Drag Race season 13 kicked off on January 1st
00:59and ran through April.
01:00Then Drag Race Down Under premiered the following week.
01:02I wanted to say, Makita, when she feels threatened,
01:04she has to bring other people down.
01:06So let's hear it.
01:09But now you're here and I'm really heavy about it.
01:12What did you say about coattails?
01:14I thought you ride my coattails, but I mean, the world knows that.
01:16All-Star 6 picked up right after that,
01:18followed by Drag Race Holland season 2,
01:20with UK season 3 premiering the same week Holland ended.
01:23Add UK season 2 and Drag Race Espana earlier in the year,
01:27and the franchise basically colonized the calendar.
01:29The only week in 2021 without a new franchise episode
01:33was the final week of December.
01:45It took 16 seasons to cast a queen whose name started with Q or X.
01:50As of season 18, nearly 250 queens have competed
01:54across all seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race.
01:57And yet for the longest time,
01:59two letters of the alphabet were completely unrepresented in the workroom.
02:02My name is Q, and I am the one and only letter of the alphabet
02:06that you need to know from now on.
02:08Q is an artist.
02:10Q is a diva.
02:11Q is beyond.
02:13Not a single queen with a name starting with Q or X
02:16had ever competed on the main US series
02:18until season 16 casually fixed both in one go
02:21with the casting of Q and Tsunami Muse.
02:24Tsunami always looks like she stepped straight out of a runway.
02:29Anything that Tsunami wears,
02:30it's always...
02:32That left exactly one glaring holdout,
02:36the letter Z.
02:37Somehow, after nearly two decades,
02:39the main US series has still not cast a queen
02:42whose drag name starts with Z.
02:43It's one of those absurdly niche stats
02:46that sounds made up.
02:47Yet here we are.
02:48So here we are.
02:49Alphabet soup.
02:50Savor every bite.
02:52I'm guessing that has to do with the Q of it all.
02:54Yes, you know, the Q.
02:55Just soak that all in.
02:56Just taste that for a moment.
02:57Number 8.
02:58Jujubee and Max have the exact same number of challenge wins.
03:02I am tired of the rules.
03:06I'm tired of these challenges.
03:08I'm tired of your show.
03:11What about me?
03:13What about Jujubee?
03:15Jujubee is drag race royalty.
03:18She is the only queen in the history of the franchise
03:20to reach the finale four separate times.
03:23On season two,
03:24All-Stars 1,
03:25All-Stars 5,
03:26and UK vs. the World 1.
03:28That is an extraordinary level of longevity and consistency.
03:31So it's genuinely mind-bending
03:33that across all four of those seasons combined,
03:35she has won exactly two Maxi challenges.
03:39I've been waiting a really long time to win something.
03:44You want a carrot?
03:45Somehow,
03:47Max from season seven,
03:48who lasted only seven episodes
03:49before being sent home
03:50in one of the strangest eliminations ever,
03:53also won two Maxi challenges.
03:54Romy,
03:55let's live forever.
03:57Do you fancy a shag?
03:59Yes, God.
04:00On your eleganza,
04:03I gag.
04:07Granted,
04:08if Max ever returns for an All-Star season,
04:10she most likely would win more.
04:12But for now,
04:13she is on the same level
04:14as the drag legend Amber.
04:16My name is Ping,
04:18but everybody in my family calls me Amber.
04:21I hope you like my outfit.
04:23Number seven,
04:24every season two Queen has returned for another season.
04:27This season really is the franchise's favorite child
04:30because no other cast has been revisited this thoroughly.
04:33All of you are here
04:34because you have charisma,
04:36uniqueness,
04:37nerve,
04:38and talent.
04:39But do you have that little something extra
04:42it takes to win?
04:43Every Queen from RuPaul's Drag Race season two
04:45has returned for an All-Star season,
04:47excluding winner Tyra Sanchez
04:49and Sahara Davenport,
04:50who tragically passed away in 2012.
04:52Several of them were cast in the first All-Star season,
04:55Jujubee became a franchise institution,
04:57and Kylie Sonique Love won All-Star six.
05:00For your millions of fans around the world,
05:04if you have anything you want to say,
05:05live life in your truth,
05:08and love always wins.
05:10Even early outs like Nicole Paige Brooks
05:12and Mystique Summers' Madison
05:13popped back into the Drag Race orbit
05:15with All-Stars 10 and 11 respectively.
05:17For one early season cast to remain that reusable,
05:21that beloved,
05:21and that weirdly omnipresent
05:23is honestly kind of wild.
05:24Nicole is making her triumphant return
05:27after 16 years.
05:30Wow.
05:30My pronouns are icon and legend.
05:32Any Nicole is a goal.
05:34Can I need my crown?
05:35Number six.
05:36Episodes aren't always aired
05:38in the order they're filmed.
05:39Drag Race loves television magic,
05:41but this one gets deliciously weird.
05:44Like most other seasons,
05:46seasons nine and ten
05:47aired their reunion episodes
05:48before the finale,
05:49which meant no winner
05:50had officially been crowned
05:51on television yet.
05:52Regardless of what anybody thinks about you,
05:57you are fan favorite,
05:58and that's the true winner of the season.
06:01However, fans have long suspected,
06:03and some queens have indeed confirmed,
06:05that those reunions were actually filmed
06:07after the lip sync for the crown finale
06:09had already happened.
06:10This means season nine finalists,
06:12Shay Coulay and Trinity the Tuck
06:14would have walked into the reunion
06:15already knowing they were out of the running.
06:17You don't need to be confused
06:18and you have lots of opinions of me tonight, Shay.
06:20There's no reason to get upset with me.
06:22We're just talking.
06:23No, you're the one that's upset.
06:24I'm not upset.
06:25Do I look upset to you?
06:26Additionally, in season 10,
06:28since Asia O'Hara already knew
06:30the butterfly disaster
06:31had ended her chances,
06:32she would have had no hesitations
06:33confronting RuPaul
06:34about the Vixen's situation.
06:36And we're the first people,
06:37we are the first people
06:39to say that people are treating us right.
06:42Do you think there's anything
06:44we could have said to the Vixen
06:45to make her stay?
06:46It's not about what we say,
06:47it's about what we do.
06:49Number five,
06:49every queen from Denver, Colorado
06:51has made the finale.
06:53My name is Evie Oddly,
06:54and I'm Denver's commodity
06:55of drag oddity.
06:57Denver predominantly had
06:58the sparkly dancing,
07:00like bodysuit,
07:01hair flipping queens,
07:02and I shook that up.
07:04There's something in the Rocky Mountain air,
07:06and it is producing
07:07some of the most talented queens
07:08in drag race herstory.
07:10Every single queen
07:11from Denver, Colorado
07:12who has competed on the show
07:13has made it to the finale.
07:15Nina Flowers,
07:16Evie Oddly,
07:17Willow Pill,
07:18and Nini Coco
07:18all represented the Mile High City,
07:20and all four reached the finale
07:22of their respective seasons.
07:23That is a frankly absurd
07:25batting average.
07:26I hate people.
07:30I hate people.
07:33Bigger smile,
07:34shorter people.
07:36Two of them,
07:37Evie and Willow,
07:37also won their seasons.
07:39What's even more fascinating
07:40is that all four queens
07:41share a distinctly artsy,
07:43alternative aesthetic
07:44in their drag.
07:45Denver seems to not just
07:46produce finalists,
07:47but a very specific,
07:49gloriously weird
07:50kind of drag superstar.
07:51You wanna make me mother?
07:52Well, I wanna make you dinner.
07:55Dinner.
07:57Dinner.
07:58Dinner.
08:01Well, I wanna make you dinner.
08:03Number four.
08:04Ginger Minj and Miss Fame
08:06were the same age
08:07on season seven.
08:08I'm Miss Fame,
08:09I'm 29 years old,
08:10and I'm beyond
08:10this planet beautiful.
08:11Well, it looks like
08:12I'm the only one here.
08:13Thank God.
08:15My brand is
08:16classic, chic,
08:18fashion model.
08:19Season seven
08:19had a very clear
08:20social divide.
08:21The established performers
08:23versus the younger,
08:24more fashion-forward queens.
08:26Ginger Minj was firmly placed
08:27in the self-proclaimed
08:28Bitter Old Lady Brigade,
08:30the apparently older,
08:31seasoned camp contingent
08:32alongside Kennedy Davenport,
08:34Jasmine Masters,
08:35and Mrs. Kasha Davis.
08:36Miss Kasha Davis,
08:37Jasmine,
08:38and Kennedy,
08:39and myself,
08:39we just call ourselves
08:40the Bitter Old Lady Brigade,
08:42but we don't mean any harm,
08:44girl,
08:44except when we do.
08:45Meanwhile,
08:46Miss Fame was grouped
08:47with Violet Tchotchke
08:48and Pearl
08:49as one of the season's
08:50young, confident,
08:50and allegedly arrogant
08:52competitors.
08:53However,
08:53in actuality,
08:54both Ginger and Miss Fame
08:55were 29 years old
08:57when they filmed the season.
08:58It says a lot about
08:59how perception,
09:00drag style,
09:01and personality
09:02can shape a narrative
09:03far more powerfully
09:04than something as straightforward
09:05as the year one is born.
09:06I am serving you
09:08some leprechaun realness.
09:10I look like a glamour toad
09:12and I feel like a million bucks.
09:14Not today, Satin.
09:15Not today.
09:16Number three.
09:17Only one queen
09:18has won Drag Race
09:19without ever lip syncing.
09:20It's not right,
09:22but it's okay.
09:24I won't make it any way.
09:27Pack your leg up and leave.
09:31Several queens,
09:32including names like
09:33Bianca Del Rio,
09:34Aquaria,
09:35and Sasha Velour,
09:35have won Drag Race
09:36without ever lip syncing
09:38for their lives.
09:38But every single one
09:40of those queens
09:40still had to either lip sync
09:42in the penultimate episode
09:43to secure their spot
09:44in the finale
09:45or lip sync in the finale
09:46to win the crown.
09:47I should be America's
09:48next drag superstar
09:49because I paid my dues
09:50and shown myself
09:51in this competition.
09:52I came,
09:53worked,
09:53I conquered,
09:55and I'd like to share it
09:56with the rest of the world.
09:57There is, however,
09:58one queen in the entire
09:59Drag Race universe
10:00who never lip synced
10:01at any point.
10:02That queen is
10:03Admira Thunderpuss,
10:05winner of Drag Race Feria
10:06season one.
10:07Admira sailed through
10:08the entire competition,
10:10winning three out of
10:11the seven maxi challenges
10:12in the season.
10:13By the finale,
10:14it was basically
10:15a foregone conclusion
10:16that the crown was hers.
10:32number two.
10:33Snatch Game has a weirdly
10:34lucky winning seat.
10:36Did you forget you were
10:37coming to court today
10:37dressed like that?
10:38You look like a damn
10:39roll of scotch tape.
10:40Well, I thought it was...
10:41You don't piss on my leg
10:42and tell me it's raining.
10:44There is a bizarrely
10:45specific pattern
10:46in Snatch Game history.
10:47The queen sitting
10:48in the first seat
10:49at the top of the panel
10:50has often gone on
10:51to win the season.
10:53That happened with
10:53Sharon Needles
10:54in season four,
10:55Jinx Monsoon
10:56in season five,
10:57Bianca Del Rio
10:57in season six,
10:59Simone in season 13,
11:00and Trixie Mattel
11:01in All Stars 3.
11:03Curiously,
11:03of that group,
11:04only Jinx actually won
11:06the Snatch Game
11:06challenge itself.
11:07Quite the scandal,
11:09actually.
11:09Yes.
11:10With my cousin-in-law,
11:11really.
11:13He was in all
11:14the magazines
11:14at the time.
11:15So that position
11:16has nothing to do
11:17with performance
11:18in the challenge,
11:19but the season overall.
11:20To drag queens
11:21hoping to get cast
11:22on future seasons,
11:23you might want to
11:24wiggle your way
11:25into that seat,
11:26if you make it
11:26to the Snatch Game,
11:27that is.
11:28You've evaded
11:29the white folks
11:30for a long time.
11:31Yeah,
11:32on the Underground Railroad,
11:33huh?
11:33But here's the Snatch Game,
11:35babe.
11:35Yes,
11:36it's all for a good cause.
11:37It's all for a good cause.
11:38Freedom!
11:42If you love games,
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11:49Terrible Influence
11:50is a satirical board game
11:52about the dark side of fame
11:53from the writer
11:54of the most popular girls
11:55in school and us,
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11:58I can make an apology video.
11:59Oh, you so would.
12:01Click on the link
12:01in the description
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12:03and be the first
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12:07Number 1
12:07No queen who has won
12:09the Rusical
12:10has won the season.
12:11Don't say what I can post,
12:13you know I'm stunning.
12:14All people want sex,
12:16not body shunning.
12:17So just cancel your plans
12:18to troll on my crusade.
12:22For one of Drag Race's
12:23most prestigious challenges,
12:24the Rusical has a shockingly
12:26cursed track record
12:27on the main US series.
12:28Since becoming a recurring
12:29staple in season 6,
12:31no queen who won
12:32the Rusical
12:32has gone on
12:33to win the season.
12:34Not one.
12:35Well, I'm gonna be
12:38the greatest star
12:39and nothing
12:40and no one's
12:42gonna keep me down
12:43and you
12:44and you
12:45and all of you.
12:47That includes
12:48powerhouse performers
12:49like Courtney Act,
12:50Shea Coulee,
12:51Rosé,
12:52Gigi Goode
12:52and Anitra,
12:53all of whom won
12:54their season's
12:55Rusical Challenge
12:55and still stopped
12:56just short of the crown.
12:59Defying old taboos
13:03Cause sex is power too
13:05Making art isn't easy
13:07But that's why I do it
13:11Several ended up
13:12as runners-up,
13:13which somehow makes
13:14the stat even meaner.
13:15The Rusical is a true test
13:17of an all-around performer
13:18as it requires singing,
13:19acting,
13:20dancing
13:20and sheer theatrical commitment.
13:22But unfortunately,
13:23its winning badge
13:24always seems to come
13:25at a costly price.
13:41Are there any
13:42wild drag race facts
13:43we missed?
13:44Tuck them into the comments.
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