Nine most shocking moments in Drag Race herstory

With the Season 11 grand finale now released on Netflix, we look back on nine shocking moments that have helped make RuPaul’s Drag Race the TV juggernaut it is today.

Drag queen RuPaul reacts to a shocking moment

The biggest night of the Season is upon us, Drag Race stans. There’s been a few shocking eliminations, some juicy fights and some jaw dropping looks. So before you find out if A’keria, Brooke Lynn, Silky or Yvie take home the crown, let’s take a trip down memory catwalk at some other jawdroppery. 

Oh, and while there are no spoilers for this series, there are obviously some for others!

Sugar Daddy

First up, we go all the way back to Season 3 and the showdown between Mimi Imfurst and Shangela. Things got a little heated (and instantly quotable) when Mimi accused Shangela of having a sugar daddy. Set your face to stun.

Willam Breaks The Rules

It was dramatic enough already. The two arch enemies of Season 4 – Sharon and Phi Phi had finally faced off in a lip sync for their life – who was going to get the last laugh? And then, out of nowhere, Ru calls Willam forward. GULP.

It’s A Double

Listen, based on their lip sync (and everything else they had done before) it was pretty clear that neither Vivienne Panay or Honey Mahogany were going to romp home with the title. But for the first time (it’s happened since) Ru decided not to wait around to see if improvement was on the cards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6W9UAOtxEY

I’m Feeling Very Attacked!

Listen, we know this is from Untucked, but ‘if you’re not watching Untucked, you’re only getting half the story’. And we’re sticking to that. Now if you were just watching the main show in Season 6 and thought Laganja Estranja was a little painful but couldn’t quite understand the backlash. Well…here you go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDqy_cXNGzE

Something On My Face

While it ranks among the most shocking moments, it most certainly takes the prize for most cringeworthy – the moment Pearl did the unthinkable and ANSWERED RU BACK. Prepare for your shoulders to hit your ears. (Forgive the video quality, but it’s worth it.)

Face Crack Of The Millennium

Ah, Phi Phi, such a shy retiring type. Coming back to All Stars 2, her aim was to redeem her image, to prove she wasn’t the bitch she was painted to be. And then she basically did the same thing, only sly-er. So after Alyssa’s elimination, Phi Phi had a LOT to say. Never realising the disgruntled queens were behind the mirror. Hearing. Every. Word.

Giving Back Lip

All Stars 3 was described before as a mediocre season that ended in robbery and we have to agree. There’s just no way you can argue the winner deserved to win, and it was only that ridiculous ‘twist’ that allowed it to happen. But without getting into the heartbreaking moment when the true winner of the finale was genuinely robbed, we come to the shocking moment when the previous frontrunner (by a landslide) decided to take her future into her own hands.

I’d Like To Keep It On Please

Okay, okay, maaaybe there is a more mortifying moment than Pearl giving back a bit of lip. To set the scene: during Season 9, it seemed like Valentina had the competition in the bag. She was charming, talented and stunning (although things really came out in the wash during THAT reunion episode). Quite a few winners had been in the bottom two and lip synced their way to an eventual win, so it seemed a forgone conclusion that it was Nina’s time to get the chop. And then this. Yikes. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIPOrU0P6yI

Come Rain Or Come Shine

Two quick things – Naomi Smalls was criminally underrated during All Stars 4 and the whole point of the lip sync winner choosing who went home was to cause drama and shake things up. So it was a pleasant surprise when Naomi not only won the lip sync but slayed it. And then came the shocking moment when she chose who went home. And did exactly what the Drag Race producers had hoped. But that didn’t stop the tsunami sized backlash when she revealed her choice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZsquttYOdY

So there we have it folks. Let’s see if there are any moments from this year’s finale that will make future lists!

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