Rumours of massive Drag Race format change leaves fans gooped and gagged
RuPaul’s Drag Race. (WOW)
Rumours that RuPaul’s Drag Race could be in for a major shake-up has prompted huge debate among fans.
According to a post by drag touring company Holy T, “producers are discussing the idea of having the contest run live over a 14 week period”.
In this American Idol-style incarnation, queens would complete in challenges and then, in a live Friday night episode, face a public vote to decide the bottom two, who would then lip sync for RuPaul as usual.
Many fans (us included) are highly sceptical. With RuPaul seemingly on a mission to squeeze as many seasons of Rupaul’s Drag Race into her schedule as possible, it would make little sense for her to drag out a season into real-time.
Filming each RuPaul’s Drag Race season currently takes just a few weeks, which is how she’s been able to cram in Drag Race Down Under, season three of Drag Race UK, the much-rumoured international All Stars as well as new seasons of the mothership and regular All Stars into her 2021 diary.
But nonetheless, the idea prompted much debate into whether the fanbase could be trusted with such power.
It was pointed out by many that the Drag Race fandom has a noted issue with racism, and that turning the show into a popularity contest would likely disadvantage queens of colour, as well as larger queens.
https://twitter.com/Holy_TEurope/status/1373914572558635017
The show’s fandom poorly treats queens of color and favors white queens and their solution to that is making the fans pick who gets eliminated? This show truly turned into trash.
— felipe (@_felipeee_11) March 22, 2021
Drag race winners after this pic.twitter.com/ncmXENDeAQ
— Real Men Wipe (@real_men_wipe) March 22, 2021
It’d put queens with smaller followings, which usually are POC queens, at a huge disadvantage.
However, I do think this format could work on All Stars.
— Yvonne The Terrible (@DitchThaBitch) March 22, 2021
I agree, I’m not sure that handing over power to the rabbid fandom is going to improve the show. As if drag performers didn’t already feel picked apart by a sea of “fans”.
— Jean Elizabeth Green (@hungriestgnome) March 23, 2021
Some suggested that if RuPaul’s Drag Race is looking for a shake-up, it might instead look towards diversifying its casting.
Or they could cast women as a "shakeup" https://t.co/BGVSFjnUWx
— Smuggotron 9000 (@LavenderleFay) March 23, 2021
Stars of the show were similarly unimpressed. Drag Race UK’s A’Whora tweeted: “Well that would of been me gone by episode 1 if it’s based off first impression lol.”
https://twitter.com/awhoraofficial/status/1374065481947168770
Season 13 queen Kandy Muse chimed in with a simple “This would truly never happen”, a sentiment echoed by many.
this would truly never happen lmao
— KANDY “producer” MUSE (@TheKandyMuse) March 22, 2021
lol this “rumor” came from Facebook. OF ALL THINGS. FACEBOOK.
pic.twitter.com/RfbII61CoT
— ramonaaaaa (@planetterwhore) March 22, 2021
