Drag Race star Kandy Muse named one of the most powerful women in reality TV
Kandy Muse starred on this year’s season of House of Villains. (Getty/Canva)
RuPaul’s Drag Race’s two-time finalist and House of Villains star Kandy Muse has been named as one of the 30 most powerful women in reality TV.
Yesterday (18 November), Entertainment publication Variety published its annual list of reality television powerhouses, with the list featuring a host of queer media personalities.
Kandy Muse, who rose to international fame as a divisive competitor on season 13 of Drag Race in 2021 before returning for All Stars 8 in 2023, was named on the list for her appearance on E!’s House of Villains season two.
House of Villains sees ten reality TV firebrands living together and undertaking weekly battles of physical, emotional and mental strength, with the hopes of winning a grand final cash prize of $200,000.
While she spent her time on Drag Race vying to become “America’s Next Drag Superstar”, it seems her ambitions have changed: if she had won House of Villains, she would have earned the title of “America’s Ultimate Supervillain”.
Kandy was eliminated from the competition in sixth place in episode 10 earlier this month.
Variety praised Kandy for having “won the hearts” of the show’s viewers with her “charisma and fearless messiness”.
It’s arguably that combination that got her cast on the show in the first place, considering her turn on Drag Race was a tale of two halves. While many of the show’s fans adored her ballsy attitude and unwavering confidence, other fans accused her of “sh*t-stirring” and took issue with her runway presentations.
Despite the differing opinions, it’s undeniable that Kandy is reality TV gold.
Sadly, those who loved her on Drag Race may have to get their Muse fix from House of Villains and her next TV gig, drag winter cabin reality series Slaycation, as she’s recently ruled out the possibility of ever returning to the drag competition.
Kandy features on Variety’s list alongside other LGBTQ+ women of reality TV, including OMG Fashun judge Julia Fox, bisexual Vanderpump Rules star Ariana Madix, Top Chef host Kristen Kish, and The Masked Singer judge Rita Ora.
Queer Survivor star Kenzie Petty also appears, as does The Challenge’s Rachel Robinson, Selling Sunset star and partner of musician G Flip, Chrishell Stause, and Below Deck Mediterranean‘s Captain Sandy Yawn.
Alison Hammond, a household name and national treasure in Britain, also features for her role as co-host of The Great British Bake Off (known in the US as The Great British Baking Show).
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