RuPaul announces Drag Race Philippines – but fans are calling shade
RuPaul. (BBC)
Drag Race Philippines will go head to head with Manila Luzon’s Drag Den.
Just when you thought it was safe to change the channel, RuPaul has announced yet another edition of Drag Race.
Drag Race Philippines will be the second spin-off to film in Asia, following Drag Race Thailand. It also joins localised editions in the UK, Canada, Holland, Spain, Chile, Italy and Down Under.
Officially opening casting to Filipino queens, RuPaul said in a video: “Show us your charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent, and this could be the beginning of the rest of your life.”
World of Wonder’s Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey confirmed the series will air exclusively on WOW Presents Plus.
“The Drag Race franchise has shined a spotlight on so many incredible queens from around the world and we are so excited to introduce audiences to the dazzling queens of the Philippines,” they said in a statement.
The series comes hot on the heels of Drag Den, Manila Luzon’s new search for a “Philippine Drag Supreme”.
Manila announced details of how queens can apply for the show on Sunday (15 August), a day before the Drag Race Philippines announcement.
The timing wasn’t lost on fans.
https://twitter.com/Spilling_The_T/status/1427306580450717705
https://twitter.com/Spilling_The_T/status/1427320454994333702
https://twitter.com/ElevenMikel/status/1427319912771375104
Manila Luzon when Drag Race Philippines got announced pic.twitter.com/jSb9Iakaud— kaloy ❤️🔥 (@karltrooper) August 16, 2021
It hasn’t yet been announced who will host Drag Race Philippines, but the omission of RuPaul’s name from the title suggests she won’t be taking her usual seat on the panel.
According to Entertainment Weekly, a host announcement a premiere date will be announced soon.
In the meantime, the Drag Race juggernaut continues with All Stars 6, which this week saw Kameron Michaels return as a lip sync assassin.
Kameron and Ra’Jah O’Hara faced off to Charlie XCX’s “Boom Clap”, with Kameron subsequently lashing out against the “stupid song”.
Kameron was forced to name her season 10 sister Eureka as the latest eliminated queen, and later said she felt “cheated” by the “quick cheap storyline”.
