The most controversial All Stars eliminations in Drag Race herstory

With All Stars 9 finally arriving, it’s time to take a look back at some of the most brutal eliminations in the history of the RuPaul’s Drag Race spin-off – and boy are there a lot to choose from.

All Stars 2 changed the game when RuPaul ever-so-casually announced that he wouldn’t be eliminating any of the queens: What he failed to mention was that the queens would do the eliminating themselves.

So ensued five seasons of All Stars (and three Drag Race vs the World spin-offs) where, whether by solo choice or jury vote, a queen was removed from the competition at the hands of competitors.

Given that All Stars 9 will follow in the footsteps of All Stars 7 and be a non-elimination season (for charity), here is our run-down of the toughest-to-endure endings.

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Alaska eliminates Tatianna, All Stars 2

Tatianna was evicted from the werk room by Alaska (for the second time) in a still-controversial move.

Was it because she had done worse than Drag Race season five runner-up Roxxxy Andrews in the challenge? Was it because her look wasn’t as good? No, it was because, in Alaska’s words, Roxxxy had lent her a rhinestoned tank top for the runway.

Now that’s brutal.

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Detox eliminates Alyssa Edwards, All Stars 2

Rumoured Global All Stars competitor Alyssa Edwards‘ run was similarly cut short by Detox, but was even harder to swallow than Tatianna’s.

The challenge that landed Alyssa in the bottom was the famously unpredictable makeover.

With Roxxxy in the bottom for her fifth time, it seemed a sure shot that Alyssa would make it to the final – but no, Detox couldn’t face turning on her bestie Roxxxy, and sent both Alyssa and her sibling home on the anniversary of their mother’s death. Ouch.

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Naomi Smalls eliminates Manila Luzon, All Stars 4

This was the strategic move that coined the phrase “to be Manila’d”. Ms Luzon was eliminated by season eight diva Naomi Smalls after falling into the bottom for the first time during the competition, having won three challenges.

It wasn’t entirely unexpected but the moment was still shocking, and proved that the contestants really held the power. And let’s not forget Manila’s husband, who was watching from the Untucked set, falling to the ground as if he’d been shot.

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Trinity K Bonet eliminates Jan, All Stars 6

RuPaul’s torture of Jan Race came to a head when Mama Ru let the queen think that she’d been saved from elimination, only to engineer her departure anyway.

Jan and Pandora Boxx were in the bottom, with lip-sync assassin Alexis Mateo winning against top queen Trinity. Alexis then pulled out the group’s lipstick, Pandora’s. Jan breathed a sigh of relief until hearing the words: “Wait Ru, I have another lipstick.”

It was revealed that the duo had tied for who was to be eliminated, with the responsibility falling back on Trinity K Bonet to make the decision – and she chose Jan. Face. Crack.

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Eureka eliminates Trinity K Bonet, All Stars 6

Made particularly tough to take by the fact that Trinity had technically already made it to the final four of All Stars 6 and by the fact that she was booted by her competition boo Eureka, this one’s not even entertaining. It’s just sad.

Trinity had to watch a mystery queen (Eureka) fight her way back into the competition via the season’s game-within-a-game, forcing her to compete in another challenge and get sent home, despite having two top placements.

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Blu Hydrangea eliminates Pangina Heals, Drag Race UK vs the World season one

After there was “being Manila’d”, there was “being Pangina’d”. The international cast of queens got down and dirty in the inaugural RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs. The World, exemplified by winner Blu Hydrangea’s chopping of frontrunner Pangina Heals.

The Drag Race Thailand host turned competitor had won two challenges and their ensuing lip-syncs, sending two competitors to the house. That all changed when, in her fourth episode, and without ever finishing bottom, she was eliminated by Blu.

We can still hear her sobs echoing through the halls of the Drag Race UK studio. Wild.

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Kandy Muse eliminates Jessica Wild, All Stars 8

This one is tough just because a) we love Jessica Wild so much and b) this is the only time that an All Stars season has cut from a top three to a top two.

Jessica had been the narrator of the season, winning one challenge and searing her Taco Tuesday monologue into our consciousness along the way, so it was really tough to see her go so close to that final push for the crown.

Again, because Jimbo and Jessica voted for each other, the responsibility went to Kandy Muse to pull the final lipstick – and she chose to save Jimbo.

RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 1-8 are available to stream on Paramount+ in the US and WOW Presents Plus in the UK and internationally. All Stars 9 premieres on Friday (17 May).