Why Every Runner Up Lost RuPaul's Drag Race

[@DragDetective]

If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. You can submit a claim in 8 clicks or less without having to leave your couch. For more information, go to www.forthepeople.com/TheDragDetective

[@JinMeowsoon]

What’s the story of that sponsorship? How come a law firm focusing on personal injury contacted a rpdr review channel? Is that totally random or because of the US situation? Just curious, we don’t have law firm ads in my country.

[@normalizenatalie]

@@JinMeowsoon i'm curious too like it's so random i've never seen it before 😂

[@oliversmithlawrence]

​@@JinMeowsoon maybe yo advertise as insurance to drag queens?

[@apatouros7572]

c'mon Morgan & Morgan!!!

[@Mendejito]

@@apatouros7572 is she gonna claim from there ?

[@user-lw9ut2ms6m]

Let’s just accept that production will never allow a queen with a “language barrier” to be crowned.

[@Octobris]

The way it applies to Camden omg

[@user-lw9ut2ms6m]

@@Octobris while I do understand and agreed that this was the case with Camden as well; she still spoke English. I meant more of the Spanish speaking contestants on the show here in the United States that get casted.

[@user-lw9ut2ms6m]

And Kim Chi too!

[@marekvojtko1846]

Gisele won in Canada though! And what about the original winner Bebe?

[@Cigarehhts]

@@marekvojtko1846on Canada’s drag race I don’t think it would count as a language barrier because French is also the national language of Canada lol

[@Herahaute]

I think Raja’s high fashion aesthetic also helped give her the edge since the show was initially modeled similar to project runway / ANTM

[@jermainecornelius7193]

Exactly. A lot of Raja's runway looks wasn't just drag, it was high fashion. Not only that, the way she presented her looks on the main stage by walking as if she was a super model is what helped and pushed her to the top. And my goodness, when she came back to All Stars she solidified her status as a fashion queen even more so. What she presented on All Stars wasn't just high fashion, they were very editorial looks. There maybe other DragRace queens who are considered as fashion queens but none of them can top Raja in that category. When it comes to DragRace, Raja hands down is the queen of fashion queens.

[@Goingby20s]

Yeah, i remember watching season 3 and never really being wow'ed by Manilla, except for her lip sync. Raja wow,ed me all the time. Her personality also felt more endearing

[@janeschrand8710]

@@jermainecornelius7193 Ugh dont you just love her?? what an icon.

[@ruthjuliana9222]

I knew Kim Chi wasn't going to win but her artistry was nothing short of amazing. Kim Chi was dealing with confidence issues

[@LeoMaraschino]

I feel like it’s worth mentioning that Peppermint basically had no chance going into the finale, because they eliminated her during the last challenge but filmed a take where all 4 make it and she thought she wasn’t going until the season was airing

[@ChantalMonette]

I think something else that went into the Season 14 decision was that Willow is not an all stars candidate. She basically said on the season that this was her last hurrah before her body really gives up on her and she can't do what she wants to do anymore. Which is not to say that Willow doesn't deserve it, because she definitely does... but that they had to consider the future opportunities for the two as well.

[@rynx2936]

honestly i know it was still super early in the show but season 3 truly should’ve been a double win, that top three alone of alexis, raja and manila was supreme

[@feonaarabellaparaiso1786]

Yup when I watched Season 3, I could honestly say to myself “I would be happy if any of these queens won the crown.” And I really cannot think of any other Season that I felt that way.

[@marekvojtko1846]

But how odd is that there are still no other winners from that season besides Raja?? Shangela, Manila, Alexis or Yara without crowns feels wrong.

[@ohandthefracking]

@@marekvojtko1846 they were all snubbed REALLY hard

[@tovi3280]

@@marekvojtko1846 shangela won all stars 3 tho so TWO of em have a crown

[@Sam20309]

@@tovi3280 this is my fantasy

[@1Itsmeiko]

I feel like we should have a show of just runner-ups!!

[@AngieWarhol]

I was thinking that too a few days ago! A lot of the runner ups/top 3 queens were stellar. I’d like to see a show where they battle it out.

[@mojcakusterle2554]

And Raven would be 2nd 😭😭

[@idkdc2615]

Drag race uses them often, it's not necesary. A 1st out season would be 100% better and I would actually watch it

[@donniesumling8549]

​@@idkdc2615 YES!!! But what about Shangela and Vangie?

[@erin_upsidedown2149]

I want an all villains season!

[@LanaDelFay]

In my opinion, Madame Laqueer lost All Winners 2 over Yuhua Hamasaki because we needed our first Bootleg Superstar winner.

[@ninaxwings]

Huh? What did I miss?

[@rikmobach9272]

@@ninaxwings a whole god dams season

[@Olivia-no2hl]

I wanna see this universe

[@dylannolastname730]

​@@ninaxwingsyou missed the diy galaxy promo and the kleeky onkle 💔💔💔

[@ScouseJazmin]

What level of the iceberg is this?

[@clown-cult96]

Honestly I don’t envy anyone who had to go up against Bob or Bianca. They’re both such charismatic, clever, talented, huge personalities that, and I remember this, people were calling it from the second either of them walked into the werk room, they were going to win.

[@godrickstockwell1505]

Bob was absolutely a force and I like her a lot but in that season I was rooting for Kim. Seeing someone soft spoken and shy holding her own in a season with such HUGE personalities was so compelling. Her fashion was like nothing I had ever seen before. Don't get me wrong I think Bob absolutely earned her crown but I think Kim told a better story

[@tiersofadragqueen1779]

Asia’s self sabotaged lip sync is still the craziest thing I’ve seen on a reality show. I really thought she was going to win the whole thing! 🦋

[@ninaxwings]

Pour one out for the butterflies 🫗

[@DragDetective]

I legit think she would have won if she made the final round

[@aq2241984]

That season belonged to Eureka or Asia. Crowning Aquaria was complete nonsense.

[@Thenailtrap]

@@aq2241984 I think it was anybody’s game besides Kameron. Aquaria is very fashion forward and has put her platform to good use. Asia would have been a great winner too.

[@OscarSotoJr]

If the only switch for the finale of Season 10 was a Top 3 of Asia, Aquaria, and Eureka, it definitely would have been very tight. Those butterflies man. >_< Maybe that's why Asia hasn't accepted invitations to All Stars. She may not feel ready to move on from the incident. Kind of like Shea dealing with being knocked out by rose petals.

[@LeahBeIvrit]

Agree accept with season 8. I don’t think it was close. Bob crushed everyone that whole season it would have seemed rigged if he didn’t win. Same with Bianca.

[@jontaedouglas7244]

‼️ I love Kim chi and Naomi !! But Bob made season 10

[@Goingby20s]

Imo Raja too was a clear winner

[@stefanibaez9578]

Bob was the clear talent. But they loved Kim’s runways. I might be way outta pocket here but I think they did want to give it to Kim but they didn’t because Kim wasn’t out to her mom yet. Do you remember at the finale Ru offered to go with Kim and come out to her mom? And Kim said no. I can’t help but think that the show won’t crown anyone who hasn’t come out to their fam. But idk, what do I know.

[@evrsleeping]

i feel as though that kim chi did well!! bob was amazing but kim chi was well up there yk

[@marku.9644]

@@stefanibaez9578yeah no. She’s already on the show being broadcasted all over. So no, it wouldn’t make a difference if they crowned her. Bob was just ahead and crushed the competition

[@lzasnw]

Drag detective needs to investigate why there hasn’t been an Asian winner since S3 and why production keeps casting early out / filler Asian queens

[@Shane3125]

So, give the crown to an Asian queen even if they don't deserve it? Can't think of a single queen who deserved to win after season 3.

[@beriliam1]

Also, there is no such thing as a "fillet" queen. Every queen has their art and is not lesser than anybody else on the show just because they fumbled in some challenges

[@lzasnw]

@@Shane3125 no shit that’s literally what I SAID that production keeps casting filler Asian queens

[@lzasnw]

@@Shane3125 funny how the affirmative action measures are always employed for black queens though

[@hausu3163]

i dont think its the production casting '' filler asian queens'' all of the time, sometimes yea, but also ru and michelle does not appreciate the asian queens most of the time if they are representing asian culture, they just dont get it. ru and michelle are old yall, they like what they like and they are obviously biased towards some types of drag so yea, they will always see the asian queens as the fillers, the runner ups, etc

[@arthurlove7857]

Bebe also was this international queen who used her drag to draw light on social issues. She came off a bit more elegant and classy which is nice to have as the first representation of a drag super star. I think it was more than her drag was just more palatable

[@sophlou2367]

you just explained exactly what it was that made bebe palatable

[@arthurlove7857]

@@sophlou2367 saying your drag is ‘palatable’ absolutely undermines the package that Bebe brought compared to nina

[@sashaxtina]

Camerooooooooooon!

[@mehgancorker7242]

Her finale gown lives in my head rent free.

[@IvyTinwe]

What makes Yvie's and Willow's win so important is that they had a winner with a chronic disease. Something that made some things harder for them (Yvie not being able to dance, Willow sometimes having troubles grasping things like in this Amazon challenge). Also, maybe some are not "low energy", but more like introverts and not as loud as others. I do get that they are worried that they can't keep up with shows and interviews, but I'm here for introvert queens.

[@egg_2705]

I think their chronic illnesses also definitely played a part in them getting crowned (not that they didn't deserve it anyway) because unlike their competitors, all stars may not have been an option for them. You could really see the difference between Yvie's performances in S12 and AS7, even though she was no less a fierce competitor.

[@kamzrrr]

As someone with chronic pain I found both of them so relatable and their specific brands of humor to be something that feels so specific to chronically I’ll people. I think people see these performers as invincible characters but in reality I think it’s so important that more light is shed on the reality that their performance quality is reliant on their health. Realism is so important with coping with illnesses and I think the humor and grace they both handled their issues with really helped me.

[@seamuskw]

The thing that really kept Kandy Muse from winning, in my mind, is that she had already effectively been eliminated that season (by Symone, no less). Double saves are one thing, but the Symone-Kandy result wasn't just that they said Symone's name first, so she won the lip-sync; Kandy was actually told to sashay away. After that, I sort of resented her presence for the rest of the season and she just wasn't in the running to win for me.

[@tristianbjork5634]

My other thing is that I feel she started to overstay her welcome in the fashion department, she basically got the same edit as vanjie on allstars where she should've gone earlier but was good for TV so they let her linger. Kandys runways just couldn't handle the competition and by the end u could tell she had no chance of winning because none of her runway package she brought with her could compete with the other finalists.

[@Dinokid-oo8gc]

still insane to me she made it that far

[@charmer129]

I do personally think trixie won because of the after season media circuit. She's proven she's a great talking head and great in interviews where as Kennedy not as much

[@RNCHFND]

Kennedy winning the season over Trixie, Shangela, Bebe and Dela wouldn't have made absolutely no sense

[@fruitloops64]

@@RNCHFND shangela bebe and dela, sure but kennedy absolutely could’ve won over trixie and it make sense

[@minaisfab17]

​@@fruitloops64 eh. Not really due to what the original comment said.

[@RNCHFND]

@S S Sorry, this isn't my first language

[@loveRCDtv]

This and Kennedy was just UNLIKABLE on both of her seasons. First season she was a part of the old lady brigade, which the audience saw as bullies. And then she didn't redeem herself in all stars with her being petty, as well as having a "debbie downer/defeated" attitude. The audience would have burned WOW studio. Only reason she even had a chance at the crown is because they felt pity on her financial situation, Shangela burned too many bridges, and no one wanted Bebe to have another crown lol.

[@skylercrazy]

SO GLAD you mentioned Yvie winning against Brooke in the lip sync. Anybody can say what they want about that entire season, but right there in that moment, Yvie 100% FOUGHT for that win

[@dyannthaphannthom8811]

Nah. Brooke fought for that win too much to the point that it looked desperate. Yvie was just chilling and looking majestic

[@Nutelaa13]

WHY HER MIRRORS WERE DIRTYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[@dyannthaphannthom8811]

@@Nutelaa13 maybe cuzz she performing

[@rogerdodger1984]

Lol like Brooke didnt kill that too. You all sound so dumb only giving one side credit.

[@rogerdodger1984]

​@dyannthaphannthom8811 this just sounds completely idiotic. "Fought too much." Shut the hell up.

[@matesafranka6110]

I think I've posted this on another of your videos, but I'd love to see you do a breakdown of how Bianca was able to escape the "professional edit" on her season

[@athina2123]

I'd love to see this!!

[@yourgirljuls]

what’s the professional edit?

[@macias9]

@@yourgirljuls he exaplains it when he’s talking about Chad in season 4

[@yourgirljuls]

@@macias9 got it! i wasn’t that far in the vid when i commented 😹😹

[@Koenig_Luiz]

Maybe because she was more "mean" and "funny" and "shady". Like Chad helped everyone else in the show, but it never was a big deal, the queens just appreciated it and valued her for that. In comparison Bianca always had funny back and forth's with the judges during deliberations, "had make up issues" with her strong eyeliner, and was "mean", more like straight to the point and tough love, to others, but had also a kind heart and helped people she liked, which made her wholesome in the end.

[@kokovr1]

Honestly, Ginger not winning season 7 is the most bizarre one, like it was a glitch in the matrix Mandela effect kinda style. The season was 80% about acting or comedy or singing and she excelled in every single one of these… but then the fashion queen wins? It was weird, Violet deserved it but I felt like the season wasn’t designed for her to win.

[@hannahmontana-sf4oo]

And that’s why she won. She exceeded expectations in a season not made for her

[@mishiara5499]

he got the villain edit that is why she did not win

[@murphyslore]

it's worth checking out their video essay on this season, because it's interesting to see the new school vs old storyline in more depth :)

[@Wutever]

Iirc didnt michelle pretty much outright say they wanted to crown a fashion queen for season 7 from the beginning because they wanted something different then up to that point? Pretty sure thats why miss fame was kept around the competition as long as she was too.

[@DiogoFelicciano]

Violet and Jaida were the only ones who won by 100% pure talent, bc the clearly werent the favs from the producers or had the season designed for them to win.

[@andrewgiurleo4888]

I will say also that up until Symone's win (on one of the longest seasons ever lmao), no queen who was in the bottom more than once ever won - it was a kind of unspoken disqualification from being crowned.

[@kobikwasi4053]

Interesting video! The only thing I’ll disagree with is Season One. As some one who watched it live, Bebe wasn’t seen as palatable AT ALL. Picking your first winner to be someone who didn’t grow up in America and was an immigrant got loads of complaints and was actually quite risky, loads of people said she wasn’t really American and shouldn’t be crowned. Bebe didn’t come to the states till she was an adult and people didn’t like that. Also, season 1 audience was very different, it was people who were used to drag and had been around it. None of us saw people like Ongina and Nina as breaking the box as we actually went to drag shows. I don’t think Nina lost because they weren’t worried she was too Avant Garde, if that was the case, she just wouldn’t have been casted It’s interesting to retrospectively view Bebe’s drag as very traditional but she was wearing big African inspired hair at a time where Black Drag Queens didn’t and wore wigs more like RuPaul.

[@kobikwasi4053]

This isn’t a critique btw, just adding context!

[@masonoshe411]

Very this is very true. I think it’s a real misunderstand of what society was like in 2009 to think of Bebe as ‘palatable’ lol

[@masonoshe411]

Tyra was much more what Black Drag looked like, Bebe was very different

[@ScouseJazmin]

I remember watching the end of season 8 and feeling so uncomfortable when Ru and the judges started pressuring Kim Chi into coming out to her parents. I think that was the key factor over improvement - Ru and wow wanted an emmy moment, and if Kim Chi went did something intensely personal and possibly dangerous (before she was ready) to give them one, the crown would have absolutely been hers. Her performances didn't improve the way Bobs runways did, but she gave a good enough show to have justified a win.

[@grampafitness9732]

I came here to talk about the same thing but from a different perspective: even for a show that has been known to throw some queens to the fan base with a bad edit or shenanigans and let the queen take all the heat … can you imagine anyone hearing that Kim was not out to her parents and thinking “Let’s make her a global superstar and she can just deal with the potential of that being how her parents find out.” I can’t. A horrible thing to subject her to when she wasn’t ready. To say nothing of any pushback they might have envisioned from crowning a “closeted” person, from the fans or the wider LGBTQIA+ community or dog help us, the national media. So many ways for that to go sideways. Versus Bob who was getting arrested at marriage-equality demonstrations in NYC and has all that quick wit and “light up a room” personality. Kim is a powerhouse and a legend but it wasn’t her time.

[@shawnbay2211]

Eek that makes me nervous. To improve in the way Kim had to improve is asking a lot … much more than runway usually would. Part of me still wants Kim recognised like a winner cause she’s as great a drag queen as Bob, though in a different way.

[@ScouseJazmin]

@@grampafitness9732 I think you put more thought into the emotional and PR damage than the production team did! It would have been a bit of a disaster - especially since Kim Chi wouldn't actually know she'd won until the rest of the world did. But honestly, I can imagine the show going through with something like that. They've put queens in danger (the amount of queens who had to either bow out or dance through horrible injuries is way too high) and some of the villain edits reached a point where I genuinely worried some of the queens might lose their life. Like, the Vixen got a horrible edit and lots of publicity around it during a time when an outspoken black drag queen would have ticked pretty much every box on some racist gun nuts target list. Afaik production didnt really do anything about the death threats she did get. And they seemed to weather their bad PR pretty well. Bob is one of my favourite winners and I think the s8 decision was the right one, but I'm still giving a heavy sideye to the production companies until they prove they care about the queens who make their show.

[@ScouseJazmin]

@@shawnbay2211 She's a booked and busy businesswoman so she's won in her own way - and on her own terms!

[@vitor8048]

I believe 100% there was no way Bob was not getting that crown.

[@brandoniswhoiam]

Drag Detective: “Race…” (4:58) Peppermint: “RACE?!”

[@DragDetective]

OH SO ITS A RACE WAR

[@Octobris]

STOP 😆

[@justsomeguy28]

But is it fashion?

[@FalconFighterPilot1013]

Somewhere in a parallel universe, honey mahogany and vivienne pinay both won season 5

[@hausu3163]

i dont buy that not even in a million alternate universes

[@ashshah431]

😂

[@godrickstockwell1505]

Matching Kaftan gowns done by Marco Marco

[@ingGS]

Even Bianca said in an interview that they edited Courtney to seem like a bitch but she was truly a sweet lady.

[@maremig]

boss makes a dollar, i make a dime, that’s why i watch drag detective videos on company time (i clicked so fast)

[@willster22579]

I still believe that Willow and Lady Camden should've been a double win (the whole season of keeping everyone and saying "everyone's a winner" felt like it was setting up a double win, and they had the money!)

[@paulojunior7642]

While I can see your point, I feel like willow won the finale quite clearly. Also, candem is an amazing all star option while willow couldn't do another season.

[@heymistercarter.]

Looking at Season 15, where ANETRA was the runner-up to Sasha Colby, here’s my takeaway: It’d be easy to say Sasha won because she’s Sasha Colby, a famous name in the drag scene who’d done just about everything except win Drag Race by the time she was cast. But I think there’s more to it. Sasha came in with a strong statement about standing up for transgender rights and activism, was a congenial figure to everyone (who probably would’ve won Miss Congeniality too if finalists were even eligible for that), and in general had paid her dues with all the work she’d done up to that point. Plus, she did exceptionally in every challenge except one, so it seemingly made the most sense to give her the win. ANETRA, on the other hand; I think RuPaul may have thought needed more time to grow as a DA before she could represent the Drag Race brand. I think it was the same situation as Kameron Michaels, where she was a phenomenal performer on stage and is one of the best lip-syncers the show has ever seen (let’s be real, she won that three way lip-sync during the LaLaPaRuZa. I think she was kept because she was the only person who could’ve knocked JAX out in the end). But in the Work Room and in front of the cameras, she came off more quiet and reserved. And unlike Sasha, I don’t think ANETRA was as vocal and active about certain issues and could’ve stood for much in the community if she were to have won. So that’s my theory.

[@goff_tj]

This is exactly how I feel. I went into the finale wanting Anetra to win, but knowing full well it was going to be Sasha. She is Sasha Colby and everything that comes with it, including her activism. She also was super easy to like and came off as kind and humble despite how huge she was in the drag world. She was also funny and goofy and didn't mind sacrificing looking pretty. Anetra was an incredible performer, but she didn't have the same confidence that Sasha had. I am just waiting for an All Stars to see Anetra again.

[@Dinokid-oo8gc]

i wanted a double win so bad

[@seriousbisons]

While I don't think it plays a HUGE part in the crowning, I think it's also important to think how production compares potential winners to past winners. I think this mentality starts back in season 7. If we compare, say, Ginger Minj to both Bianca and Jinkx, all three are more comedy focused, classically styled drag queens, whereas Violet is an up and coming fashion queen. I think production wants to keep things different and changing between the seasons, and wants to avoid crowning similar queens. Season 8, Bob is nothing like Violet. Season 9 is an outlier, with the changes to the finale format, but if they were able to crown Shea like they wanted to, she would have been nothing like Bob. Aquaria as the winner for season 10 kind of falls back into place, as a queen who is newer with an eye for fashion, and as the 10th season, as a sort of "call back" of sorts, she has a relationship with a past winner. Yvie Oddly is very much the odd goofball who is nothing like Aquaria. I think Crystal could have won season 12, but would production have thought she was too much like Yvie. I think after season 12, this theory falls off, because Jaida and Symone are both fashion queens with comedy and performance chops, and Willow is a mixed bag as well. Of course, I say all of this not to discount the hard work of the winners, they obviously worked very hard to win their respective seasons. It's just a tinfoil hat theory haha

[@raspyswirly]

The theories definitely hold up, for sure. But I do think Jaida and Symone were different enough to warrant their wins, production-wise. Jaida had a much stronger pageantry aesthetic (and she made her own drag on top of that) while Symone had a very distinct LA style. BLM was also very much prominent during both their seasons--of course, I don't want to chalk it up to that, but I'm also really glad they both won, if only as a subtle show of support from Drag Race.

[@isachan0o844]

I honestly believe that Kim Chi's finale interview cost her the win. I was watching it and I remember thinking "she just lost the crown". You can kinda sense the crowd going "oh no she didn't" and RuPaul just stiffening her smile.

[@godzilla4005]

Why? What did she do/say?

[@paulojunior7642]

Honestly, avoiding such a exploitative moment was the right choice in every timeline

[@anonymoususer9197]

​@@godzilla4005i might be wrong and confusing things so i accept responsibility if it's false but i think it had something to do with coming out to her mother which Run offers and Kim declined

[@raspyswirly]

Season 4's win *was* a cultural reset, despite the cringe that the winner has created since, and even though I adore Chad and Jaremi's work. Appreciate you pointing that out.

[@raspyswirly]

Appreciate the face to the videos too :3 more on camera please

[@kylewhittle6565]

4:45 completely disagree. Bebe Zahara was very much outside of the box. A black, dark skinned Queen, from Cameroon who reimagined drag from an African context. Bebe is the complete opposite of Rupaul, Bebe is unapologetically proud of her African roots!

[@jesusaceves3893]

Look at Kim Chi now with her successful self. That shows you that you don't always need to win to be successful in life.

[@TONADRIEL]

i love when queens reach that point of success where it'd be pulling them away from too much to compete again, ultimately i feel like that's what the show should be doing for its queens.

[@jordangustke1877]

I think Brooklyns story going into the finale was that her and Yvie needed to have a rematch and there was this "whose going to come out on top" type of thing... They were ALWAYS going to have the two of them as the final lip synch after they saw the "sorry not sorry" finale

[@valleyofthedawlz]

Tyra might be a problematic Queen but she deserved that s2 win based on track record.

[@Shane3125]

Not that I disagree, but they've made track records meaningless when Yvie and Willow win.

[@valleyofthedawlz]

@@Shane3125 yeah cuz its all about lipsyncs now. I liked the old format better

[@TheHpjohnson08]

Agree I actually loved trya in that season

[@brandonbeliveau-vanover152]

“I hate people” is why Willow got that crown. Still my favorite drag race performance by far.

[@jaf22_2]

When people are annoying me it pops into my head and stays stuck for hours lol

[@PuccioMA]

I love that she didn’t made an obvious reference to her journey in the show. She created this new song and sold it to me

[@goff_tj]

It was the outfit too for me. All of her heads looked beautiful.

[@Octobris]

Doing this with allstar seasons would be amazing considering how much more produced/staged those seasons are. Also, thumbs up for videos with your face in them ☺️

[@Koshrocreations]

People who should have won: AS1: Raven. Lots of Chad+Shannel wins were undeserved. The last challenge was Rujubee's but they prefered old drag. Also, Yarlexis won the challenge where they had to earn points while on the street (they got the most points) but the win was for Chad+Shannel. AS2: Alaska. No other could have won it. AS3: Shangela. AS4: Manila or Trinity. If they wanted a double crown, why not Trinity and Monique? Monique did it better than Monet lol. AS5: Miz Cracker. She had the best track record and Shea only won because she lost to Sasha. AS6: Ra'Jah. No idea how Kylie won that season other than Rupaul cleaning his image of transphobia. AS7: Monet. Yes Jinkx demolished all season but the final lipsync's was Monet. Also, Shea should have won against Jinkx and Trinity against Monet but well.

[@morganrobinson8603]

@@Koshrocreations yesss to all of this!!!!

[@Drewski217]

With Raven losing it's also worth noting that Tyra's track record is still one of the BEST - no bottoms and so many wins. Her runways were also better and very innovative of the time so she earned that officially.

[@Shane3125]

She deserved a bottom placement though, just got saved because the early seasons had an immunity clause. She won a challenge and did terrible the next week. Definitely would've ended up in the bottom.

[@Drewski217]

@@Shane3125 Perhaps so BUT we can't speculate on maybes

[@misolaneous]

​@@Shane3125 everyone brings the immunity thing up as a counter point to Tyra's track record, but honestly if you look at the episodes and the people who were in the bottom 2 when she had immunity: Ep4 Snatch Game: Beyonce was not anywhere near the bottom 2 like Morgan and Sonique. Ep6 Rocker Chicks: Jujubee was blitzed on alcohol and Sahara wasn't entertaining, at least Ru loved Tyra's backbend even if Tyra couldn't sing well live And she was never really close to the bottom out of those episodes either.

[@lavenderhoney5712]

I totally agree, like raven didn't deserve to win like I've seen so many people say. Tyra did the best, was she my favourite? No, but she was very clearly the winner!!

[@vibecheck5241]

I would love a version of this with the international seasons because I want to hear your thoughts on Elektra Bionic 💀

[@ryanwolfram2578]

please do this with all stars and international this was so entertaining ❤️❤️

[@albertogarcia206]

Watching Tyra’s season I never disliked her, she did super well and it didn’t seem like she intentionally fucked over anyone of those girls. Rewatch it. Also no Raven should not have won. I don’t get that narrative

[@Lsaldana92]

I will always defend King Trya's winning season 2.

[@anthonysothern-avery3531]

All of this! He had one episode where he annoyed everyone and got into with ppl and they act like it was every episode.

[@Sharkyyo_o]

When I think about Raven on her season I think about how she told Tatiana that she never said she was shit and then it proceeds to cut to her saying everything she did was shit 😭

[@anthonysothern-avery3531]

@@Sharkyyo_o not gonna lie that was iconic editing by the producers and they deserved their flowers for it 😂

[@Lsaldana92]

@@anthonysothern-avery3531 we stan the shading editors. We need more of those editors.

[@themusicaldealer]

I wish you’d done a fun little speculative look at Season 15. Like “for each queen from Season 15, if they dont get the crown, here’s the reason it wouldn’t have been given to them.”

[@TinaOnEarth]

I think it might be between Anetra and Sasha if we're going based off of these recurrent edit trends, but we'll see! :D

[@ManjitSingh-dh2bg]

Well guess what mimi

[@saucytruffle4738]

Doing this for AS seasons would be so different cuz it seems like a lot of those winners are based on “vindication” - not that any of them didn’t earn the crown persay, but there’s a lot more external factors behind the winner selection of AS

[@handsoaphandsoap]

Courtney Act I think they wanted to shove into that villain box due to the success of seasons 4 and 5 but weren’t really able to since Courtney is just not that gal. She didn’t have any animosity towards Bianca or Adore and without a hero, you don’t really have a villain either. So instead they defaulted to Darianne’s weird edit to fill in that gap but instead of being a villain, she just comes off as oddly spiteful for no reason. That’s probably also why they cut Darianne before the finale (apparently they filmed different versions where all four go to the finale), she was supposed to be their villain but didn’t really end up filling that role and the person they pitched as her opposing hero in Dela was already out of the game by that point. I would love to see a version of Season 6 where the production of it all doesn’t get in the way of the actual events that transpired. The edits of Darianne and Courtney drag down the season for me a bit, they just don’t add anything to the show and kind of waste the viewer’s time.

[@hausu3163]

season 6 narrative is extremely forced, i agree.

[@gkarak1996]

I think bianca was the villain of season 6. They showed her as that older snob professional. Yet they crowned her and we love that.

[@Melissa-tw2gp]

I think RuPaul had her heart tugged by Tyra’s story of being a single dad. Not that Tyra didn’t do well-she did. But RuPaul seemed to have a personal connection to her that was obvious to all of us watching at the time.

[@Smielyb2000]

But Ru had an actual relationship with Raven

[@stinameaner]

​@@Smielyb2000I think that was after the season was aired though

[@Smielyb2000]

@@stinameaner it was before the show

[@anonenymous3571]

I feel like Alaska's storyline was more off of her wanting to be on Drag Race so much rather than her relationship with the previous winner. She's been mentioning that time and time again

[@joseuribe9273]

I think it’s all about fan reception. It’s been so obvious who will win. Gigi is the only one who fumbled it.

[@King.Anfernee]

Tyra winning fair and square lol and literally leaving no point of doubt, Iconic. To all of the messy “fans” who say she didn’t deserve it, cope. Xo 💋

[@darkishere233]

preech!

[@shaymoe7044]

PREACH

[@wonyoungsairplane]

Period. While she fumbled in the Singing challenge, she earned her win. No one should discredit her.

[@tcookie]

On Season 8: I think Naomi lost because she got the Pearl Low-Energy Look Queen edit. Kim Chi didn't win because she wasn't outspoken like Bob - she wasn't even out to her family! Bob has more 'star' quality, whereas Kim Chi doesn't even perform that much.

[@jonyoung3536]

I have said it a bunch of times if season 1 took place around season 10 time Nina would have won.

[@TheTeresamori]

I love her and her music. It’s always good to get on the treadmill to

[@atvpresenter4292]

I think you're wrong about Ginger. I never saw her as the villain in that way - it was a less clearcut storyline that that. I saw her and Kennedy as being overshadowed by annoying girls who didn't respect their elders. With Phi phi or roxxxy, we had no chance to doubt their villainous status.

[@beandrag9019]

It’s not necessarily about how you feel as a single person though, this is about the fan base’s perception overall

[@warrencaelum9536]

"annoying girls who didn't respect their elders" more like old queens who are bitter about younger queens overshadowing them

[@nevafails6185]

That’s a good point you made with Cameron. If your personality is chill you might as well not even apply for the show. You could be genuinely the best of the season in all categories and not win because your a relaxed chill kind of queen and they push you to change your personality to a louder bigger one the whole time your there. Then when you can’t do that because that’s fake and unrealistic to maintain as a chill person you don’t get the crown in the end.

[@stinameaner]

100 agree. Introverts are done dirty on that show if I was a drag queen I would never apply purley for that reason

[@Emile.gorgonZola]

Jaida did not crush the finale. She was the absolute worst in the second part of the finale. She did a boring dance while Gigi and Crystal did extremely creative videos. That's why instead of eliminating a girl at that stage, as promised, all three went to the lip sync finale instead. Gigi won the first part, Crystal the second, and Jaida the third.

[@zoinomiko]

Camden also has All Stars potential. I think (hope...!) production had already seen with Yvie the struggles a queen with a chronic illness goes through and knew there was a much higher chance of Camden being in fighting form again on a future season. (Not that Willow didn't 100% earn her win, but as someone with a chronically ill partner I was both overjoyed for her win AND relieved, for her health.) Would love to see you do the All Stars seasons!!

[@Pedro_Veste_Preto]

Sorry but I have to disagree with the season 8 part when you say "kim chi and bob were very close to each other". At the time I was a kim chi stan (and I still am) but like as soon as Bob entered in the photoshoot with the past winner it was like "she is winning" and every episode this impression grew stronger and stronger. So I believe that kim chi and naomi and violet were like "let's overdress the best for the Bob the Drag Queen Coronation Episode"

[@tyleranderson5596]

you should totally do a video discussing how you think they decide the lineup for queens entering the workroom

[@crimsonite2044]

Nina: Bene Had a more marketable look to ensure Drag Race gets renewed Raven: Tyra did the best Manila: Raja knew Ru beforehand & had more daring looks to keep the show fresh Sharon: Different aesthetic that NOW could be a more palatable winner & Fans falling in love with her Raven (AS1): Chad was set up to win & did better than her Alaska: Jinkx had a better storyline Roxxxy: Fan backlash and Jinkx overcoming the odds storyline Courtney: Production did not see her as a possible winner Adore: Favoritism & Bianca was too dominant Ginger: Ru wanted to crown a fashion queen & at that time no winner had been in the bottom twice Pearl: She only stuck around because of storyline purposes & massive favoritism but was never going to win anyway Kim: favoritism and it was clear Bob was winning Naomi: Bob’s season Katya: Alaska favoritism and weakest track record of the three Detox: Alaska Favoritism & not seen as a true contender Kennedy: weaker track record between her & Trixie Peppermint: weak track record & Sasha’s rose petals sealed her win Eureka: Not enough fan support Kameron: Weak track record & feared fan backlash Naomi: not seen as a strong contender plus Toxic fans turning on her for her CORRECT move to oust Manila Mo: Product mistreated her & never saw her as a contender Brooke: Fans were behind Yvie Gigi: Fans turned on her & some favoritism Jujubee: Not the season’s protagonist Cracker: Favoritism backlash Crystal: Weakest track record & some favoritism Eureka: weakest track record & was already eliminated once Ginger & Ra’Jah: As much as I stan Kylie, Ru & production may have just crowned her for the sake of brownie points and putting to bed Ru’s past comments regarding trans people Kandy: Fan backlash & from Ep 1 Symone was the winner Lade Camden: Ru & Fans just liked Willow more Monet AS7: Jinkx dominated the season Anetra: Sasha’s season

[@totsss]

I love how s8 explains itself perfectly with the ‘bob’s season’

[@joeyjose727]

I think Season 14 could’ve been the first regular double win, both queens devoured the season and kinda surprised the audience Willow was deemed a flop for like the first 15 minutes of episode 1, but Camden took a bit to get going. But after that warm up, Camden also killed the rest of the season

[@Mylittleaddiction2802]

If I had judged this season both of them would have been tied with a 3.8(3) PPE score so I have agree❤

[@kyukyu1015]

Season 3 deserves Double Win 😊

[@DiogoFelicciano]

I dont know if you watched the show at the time, but as a huge Violet stan since her meet the queens, I can easily say that the audience was NOT on her side, she receveid the same amount of likes and support in social media that Ginger received. The audience were heavy on Team Pearl. But I do agree with that Pearl lost bc of things thay you pointed out.

[@goff_tj]

The drama with RuPaul also didn't help her out.

[@okoswiata3988]

It's midnight, but I spend time to watch this rather than sleeping 😂😂😂 Now the runners-up are very intriguing to be covered. Great content as always😊

[@AnRuixuan]

Watching Season 3 I was (and still am) a full on Manila stan, was rooting for her from the start. My take is that the finale was really the determining factor- Raja's finale look, her "why should you win" speech, etc. really pushed her over the edge compared to Manila. Raja's finale performances felt more tailored to herself and what she brings to the table, while Manila's felt a bit more generic (but still amazing)

[@scottgillis7369]

i don't know i just think production decided as soon as raja said she'd go on the show that she would be the winner. Manilla could have shot fire out of her eyeballs while raja just sat on a chair during that lip sync and i think they still would have crowned raja

[@gidgetmaurer123]

Raja was winning the minute she walked through the door.

[@tarcisofilhonoyoutube]

Omg, Derick! Can we talk how astonishing you look? I looooooved your outfit! I’ll surely try something like this

[@DragDetective]

awh thank you!!

[@angelite777]

Would love to see this with Canada & UK’s runner ups! (And any international seasons really)

[@CassidyK999]

Im gonna be honest, i never saw Ginger as a villian, i saw her more like a comedy queen. I saw more Bianca in her than i did Roxxxy.

[@dualitpas5551]

let's be clear : lady camden did NOT lost the final lipsync. i think that her crown falling with her hair was a great node to her freddy mercury runway. but that doesn't mean that she won it, willow and her were playing with each other, it could've been the most legitimate double crowning

[@SuZ4242]

Spot on analysis. 😊 I would enjoy seeing this done for other seasons and franchises, yes, yes.

[@doedelbroesel3239]

I hadn’t the feeling Ginger was portayed as a villan. That was kennedys edit unfortunately. I was surprised violet won because she wasn’t really relatable. As with season 8, it was very clear bob would win

[@Nutelaa13]

Bob was also involved in almost every storyline/drama so it has to be narratively wise

[@heymistercarter.]

LOVE seeing that vinyl of The Slow Rush in the background! Tame Impala are such a phenomenal act, I’ve seen them live. And The Slow Rush is one of my favorites by them!

[@kundatrix]

You know that Tame Impala is just one guy right?

[@lisalarsen2384]

I absolutely loved all stars with jaida I’m so happy she got her real moment. I love her so much she’s so cute

[@master12344]

Tbh I think the answer is simple for why Ru chooses who she does to win. The show is called “RUPAUL’S Drag Race” not “America’s Next Drag Superstar” (Though i know she uses that tagline) or “Drag Queens Got Talent” it’s RuPaul’s universe and we just live in it. And essentially how I believe she chooses her winner is who she bonded with and/or see the most of herself in them. I implore you to think about all the past winners, how Ru talked about them on the show, how she interacted with them in the werk room, how she laughed with them, etc. and you’ll start to see how different it is compared to their runner ups (with the exception of Crystal Mythd), as well as how similar Ru acts with the winners across the franchise. If RuPaul can connect with you, and finds your drag interesting, and you make TV, then track records, and fan votes are thrown out the window and Ru chooses her favourite.

[@danildanshin]

It’s so good to see you speaking! I’ve been listening to you for a long time, but seeing your face takes your good content to another level 👏🏻

[@quackaddict9810]

Bob is the most deserving winner of all time.

[@greyblake761]

No, I like Bob and they should be the winner, but the majority of those runways were awful, and they got a pass because of how funny they were. Look at the roller girl runway. 🫤

[@mikkisherlock]

@@greyblake761 excuse me, that robot look was the most high fashion runway to ever grace the main stage of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

[@StarCallieDivine]

​@@greyblake761 well that time it was an acting challenge

[@heymistercarter.]

With Season 16, and why Sapphira lost, I think there are a few factors. For one, Nymphia has a more unique brand and defined character, especially for the show and the winners it’s had in the past. Sapphira has a strong character and brand, but Nymphia’s is more iconic and unique to her. I think Sapphira, as was mentioned in the Rigged video, gives a very “mother” sort of character. One thing that hindered her too was Sasha Colby, someone who gave the same vibe, winning the season right before. They probably didn’t want to crown the same type winner twice in a row. One other thing about Sapphira is she doesn’t seem as good at flexibility and coming up with new and unique ideas on the spot when her initial ideas don’t pan out. During the makeover, her first dress idea didn’t work, and what she came up with as a backup wasn’t up to par. And then during the final lip-sync, she ran into problems with her intended gag, so all she presented was fragments of what that idea was with nothing to tie it together. Those are just my theories at least.

[@kriosuranous3440]

For some reason I fully thought Ms. Fame made the finale of s7 and not pearl. Just fully retconned the last few episodes internally.

[@magizatanna3302]

i can’t believe i watched the whole thing like i usually can’t stand Drag race youtubers but this was GOOD 😭😭

[@nelsonr1984]

i thought shannel from season 1 was the first to get that professional polished edit.

[@emilymarch8209]

PLEASE DO THIS FOR INTERNATIONAL AND ALL STARS!! I would looove to see the breakdown for the UK seasons (i will always have an essay for the top four of uk2😭)

[@bombasticass2973]

PLEASE TELL ME WE ARE GETTING AN ALL STARS VERSION TOO

[@ccroft]

The way you refuse to name Sharon Needles is killing me a bit 💀

[@Buble123.]

I think that Symone won too because of the simililarity with Rupaul, like some of the others, that rupaul saw something of her in then, like Willow and Yvie, and Jaida

[@goff_tj]

Symone gave me a little RuPaul Jr. with a twist. I think for Ru it was like seeing a younger version of herself.

[@anotherone_yt]

Courtney Act and Lady Camden had no chances of winning because they’re not American. That’s it...😂 I still agree with the eventual winners tho

[@marcusmelancon3426]

Not at all I honestly think they just didn’t like Courtney no matter what she did it just wasn’t good enough but if we are gonna be honest Adore should’ve been eliminated first episode and they didn’t eliminate her because they like her and Bianca ended up dominating anyway and with Camden I wanted her to win but I think Willow had the better storyline to win

[@tjsquibbofficial]

@@marcusmelancon3426 I love Willow, but her having more bottom placements than wins should have disqualfied her from winning/being in the top 2. I personally think the Top 2 should have been Lady Camden and Angeria. They had the best track records by far, and also their storyline together made a lot of sense.

[@anotherone_yt]

@Petty Lisa good point but I don’t think the first season is very representative of how the show works atm.

[@inkygrimmananas4928]

I really want to see this episode with international seasons, I would love to know some detail to know why Pythia lost to Icesis for example, because for me those two were both winners of CDR2

[@therobotdevil2284]

Agreed! Tbh Pythia is my favorite Canada's Drag Race queen so far

[@Adam-em6wr]

Icesis and Pythia are one of the strongest top twos from the entire franchise (sorry Kendall). To me Icesis felt like the main character of the whole season, even in episodes where she was in the bottom she dominated the narrative of the episode. Honestly I did think Pythia would win cause she had a stronger track record and we hadn't yet gotten a Quebecois winner (I mean it was still S2), but I think Icesis' prescence in the narrative and her great performance in the last 2 episodes (compared with Pythia doing ok) was what pushed her ahead.

[@skyco5395]

Icesis was just more well rounded. and we all know how much Brooke values lip syncing as a skill a queen should have. and Pythia wasn't the best at lip syncing

[@inkygrimmananas4928]

@@skyco5395 that's true, but she actually did pretty good in the finale lip sync, she had a really good character for it with her being a statue coming to life (fitting with her outfit) I understand why Icesis one, but I would still like to see Drag Detective talk about it also, Icesis only wins were design challenges, so yeah she was well rounded, but honestly, Pythia was even more so in my opinion with her wins being in Rusical and the makeover, she was also high for Snatch Game and the ball, so her only strike was she wasn't the best lip syncer

[@luisalvarado9169]

Like Cheddar Gorgeous and Danny Beard 👀👀👀👀

[@nelsonkwei6654]

This is a great video and I agree with your comments. I would also like to add : 1. Willow Pill and Ivie had this chronic illness that won the hearts of many. It’s satisfying to see them win. 2. Kandy and Peppermint were never in the running for the top. S9 were Shea and Trinity, S13 were Rose and Gottmik. So in any case it’s hard to crown Peppermint and Kandy. 3. Eureka was a queen that had v negative image on S10 and Aquaria was just too good.

[@Shane3125]

1. It wasn't really satisfying to win when Brooke and Lady Camden were more deserving, especially Camden.

[@isabeladler867]

I thought a major reason behind Sharon’s win was the announcement of All Stars 1 From what I remember, a few weeks before the season 4 finale they (WOW/Logo) posted a poll to vote for a season 4 queen to be cast in AS1 (the winner of the poll would be cast), and that caused a bunch of people to really rally behind Sharon. But so many people rallied behind her, she ended up winning season 4. Again, that’s just what I remember hearing since I wasn’t really following the show then.

[@hausu3163]

i wouldnt call it a major reason, its probably just a part of it. Have you rewatched season 4? sharon is obviously the standout, the first unique, freak and she did it all well. She had the charisma, yea also the fans behind her but it was obvious it was her moment, chad is good but she is just ''boring '' for the narrative its simple

[@joshdubya6010]

Side note: Your shirt is my FAVORITE movie of all time!!! You are my new favorite youtuber! 😁

[@DavidPuckArtist]

Agree on nearly everything. Disagree that Bob & Kim Chi were close, Bob annihilated that season from the beginning. S11 you have to factor in Sherry Pir, her disqualification could've completely changed that season. There's rumours she was the winner hero and Gigi was the villain. And Jaida was a last minute alternate casting so it seems doubtful that she was originally productions choice for winner... Willow I agree but heavier emphasis on her being new and different + disabled, whereas Camden didn't have a USP.

[@LucyLu_meztli]

Yaaas please do your take on the runner ups for AS and International seasons 🙌 Love to see you on camera 🥳

[@DJGNYC]

This content is terrific! Props to you mama!

[@johndewitt900]

I’m loving seeing your face while you talk! It lets me connect more with you and the content

[@murphthesmurph]

I love your Killer Klowns shirt!

[@DragDetective]

thank you!!

[@mattie_says8273]

So enjoyable. One of the smartest Drag Race analysis I've seen. Great job!

[@reagangulley2104]

I think a bit with king Tyra winning over raven and fans being upset. Was partially due to looking back on it to where the two of them are now or their journey. Raven is very successful probably one of the most successful drag queens and Tyra had a lot of controversy so I think fans just ignore the fact King Tyra did very well on season 2

[@stinameaner]

Well said

[@danielmarino8087]

the thing about season 10 is that i think they really wanted asia in that final lipsync, but the butterfly incident was too absurd to overlook

[@gw5453]

Will you still talk about the riggoy of drag race season 1.

[@OneJumpFromEden]

Chanel was the first "you're too professional" queen XD

[@jooheonsdimples]

love how you didn't say the season 4 winners name, like it should be done 😌

[@whats_left1789]

Another amazing video! I like this format and could watch other breakdowns for All Stars, International, etc. The location change is cute too.

[@limabeeen5755]

watching the s12 finale again. i honestly think ru paul was done with the ‘weird’ queens lmao. like when yvie was on a toilet literally minutes after crystal was throwing up as a bird ru paul was DONE

[@pietrofattorello]

she crowned willow pill tho...

[@goff_tj]

@@pietrofattorello I think OP meant just at that time. There were two less eccentric queens that were crowned before Willow.