“RuPaul‘s Drag Race All Stars” continued its 9th season on Friday, June 21 with the seventh episode featuring returning queens from seasons past. Making their way back into the Werk Room for the second time are Angeria Paris VanMichaels (season 14), Gottmik (season 13), Jorgeous (season 14), Nina West (season 11), and Plastique Tiara (season 11). Three queens are returning for the third time: Roxxxy Andrews (season 5 and All Stars 2), Shannel (season 1 and All Stars 1), and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (seasons 10 and 11).
In addition to their chance at the coveted crown, this season the queens are competing to have a $200,000 contribution, provided by The Palette Fund, to a charity of their choice. Series judges RuPaul Charles and Michelle Visage will be joined on the dais by friends and series regulars Carson Kressley, Ts Madison, and Ross Mathews as well as a rotating cast of guest judges to help determine episodic winners and their choice for “next drag superstar.”
In episode 7, the queens experienced the opportunity of a lifetime acting in exaggerated versions of themselves opposite Ru himself in parodies of classic TV shows and films. Ru and the judges were most taken by the performances of Angeria and Nina. After lip syncing against each other for charity, Angeria won for the second time in a row and earned the right to block Gottmik from earning another Beautiful Benefactress Badge this week.
In the race to be one of the three queens with the most badges by the end of the season, Angeria, Roxxxy and Plastique are at the top with three while Jorgeous, Nina, Vanjie and Gottmik all have two and Shannel has none.
Now, check out our recap of episode 8, titled “Make Your Own Kind of Rusic,” featuring guest judge Jeremy Scott below:
When the queens returned to the Werk Room following Angeria’s win and decision to cut off Gottmik, she had to explain that what Plastique was saying about cutting someone off with less badges made sense in order to prevent them from competing for the top spot. All of the other girls challenged Angeria’s decision, pointing out that it doesn’t make mathematical sense though to which Angeria finally admitted that there was a “hint of revenge” in her decision. Gottmik took it as a strategic decision that is not the way she wanted to play the game, but is more than willing to now.
Ru came through the next morning to direct the queens through a photo bomb mini challenge where they’d each pose with a piece of luggage from luxury brand Away to produce the best vacation selfie from an exclusive destination. In their attempts to claim the mini win, the queens sat on, laid across, and lifted the colorful luggage in front of green screen stock photos of places like The Alps, Congo, and Paris. In the end, Nina’s pairing with her blue suitcase and a Sumo wrestler in Japan was Ru’s favorite and so she earned the win and a $2500 tip for her charity courtesy of Away.
Next, Ru wanted the girls to get back behind the sewing machine for a design challenge where they’d create “runway eleganza” that takes inspiration from one of her very own songs each with pre-selected materials to work with. Ru decided that because Shannel was the first queen to ever walk into the Werk Room that she’d get first choice of song and materials. As the self-declared “Queen of Christmas,” Shannel went with “Hey Sis, It’s Christmas.” From there, Angeria chose “Cake & Candy,” Gottmik chose “New Friends Silver, Old Friends Gold,” Vanjie chose “Kitty Girl,” Roxxxy chose “Lady Cowboy,” Plastique chose “Star Baby,” Jorgeous chose “I Bring the Beat,” and that left Nina with “Cha Cha Bitch.”
In their brainstorming and creation time, Vanjie decided to go big by attempting a fully-lined trench coat to go with her under garment despite not being the best seamstress in the room. Plastique was relieved that she wasn’t cut off on a week that she could win another badge due to her strength in fashion challenges, but Angeria was still pleased with her decision because Gottmik is also strong at designing and walking the runway. As another seamstress, Roxxxy was aiming to earn a challenge with on a design challenge as a personal feather in her cap. She knew that working with the brown leather and cow print could easily go into corny territory and so she was walking the fine line of “fashion meets country.”
Ru returned to the room later to check in with each of the girls on their progress. Jorgeous was planning a “slingshot” that was inspired by something Roxxxy wore on season 5, Gottmik described a braided and quilted dress, Angeria was back and forth between doing a gown or a jumpsuit, and Shannel opened up about a worry she’s had for 15 years about nominating herself for elimination in season 1 that Ru still felt let down by that. What Shannel didn’t say is that she regrets the decision, though it’s clear she does, but she still felt like this was a turning point for her to move beyond that regret. Later in the day, Nina struggled cutting a glove to fit her hand, Angeria realized the jumpsuit she worked on was “giving librarian” and she needed to shift gears, Plastique impressed the room with her ambitious star-shaped train, and Roxxxy was spinning too much time stoning words across the chaps she made before she even had a top to her look.
On the Main Stage, Ru was joined this week by Michelle, Ts, and Jeremy to judge the looks as they walked down the runway. Plastique fulfilled the promise of her star train, Jorgeous created another short and skimpy look, Gottmik also went small with a woven mini dress, Shannel managed to not go too over the top in red and green, Roxxxy executed her fringed and stoned chaps, Vanjie hustled down the catwalk in a shiny video girl look, Nina pushed herself out of her comfort zone in a black sheer dress, and Angie managed to throw together a leotard with chaps.
During judges’ critiques, Ru announced that this would be the final week that the winning queen will make use of the Ruby Snippers. In commentary, Jeremy thought Plastique’s look was creative and masterful and Ru called it “spectacular.” The judges called Jorgeous an “elevated whore” for making smart decisions in the creation of her look. Ts loved everything about what Gottmik did and Michelle said “it all made sense.” Ts also appreciated how big Shannel made the bows on her little dress. Michelle thought Roxxxy did a lot of challenging pieces and Ru said that it’s “ready for the runway” and could become “a whole collection.” Michelle called Vanjie’s look “really cute,” but Jeremy thought the leopard print was too hidden and unnoticeable. Jeremy referred to Nina as “sophisticated camp,” Michelle called it “fantastic,” and Ru admitted to being surprised at how well she did this week. Ts said it was clear Angie knows “how to put stuff together” for the runway and Michelle appreciated what she did to “change up the simplicity.”
After further deliberation on their own, Ru brought the queens back to the stage to declare this week’s top two as Plastique and Roxxxy. Each of them earned another badge, bringing them up to four each, and gave them the chance to battle out for the overall win to “No One Gets the Prize” by Diana Ross. Both were appropriately dressed in elegance for the song, but while Roxxxy twirled in the back of the stage, Plastique maintained her position center and front of stage. Roxxxy turned things around mid-song when she brought out a nail file and achieved some comedic moments with the spoken dialogue lines of the song. It was her ability to keep Ru laughing that gave Roxxxy yet another lip sync win, keeping her undefeated across her appearances on the series. Plastique received her fourth lip sync loss of the season.
For the final cut of the Ruby Snippers, Roxxxy made the decision to once again deliver the block to Angeria. This time Roxxxy didn’t hesitate or anguish over her decision and Angeria was unsurprised to receive the scissors.
NEXT TIME: It’s time for the rusical as the girls star in a live performance of “Rosemarie’s Baby Shower.”
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