Since January 1, 2021, an episode of Drag Race has premiered on television. Whether it was RuPaul’s Drag Race season 13 or RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season two, we have not been without RuPaul for 17 weeks and that streak doesn’t seem to be ending soon. RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under premiered May 1st.
As many went to social media to complain about the overwhelming amount of drag Race content, I was just happy that I wouldn’t have to go without my comfort show. I started seriously watching Drag Race when season seven was premiering. I now own every season of the U.S version on Amazon. These last 17 weeks I have tuned into each and every episode whether it was the original or UK. It has been the thing to keep me sane during my last semester of college. So, when Down Under was announced, I was elated.
I am able to watch this season here in the US with my premium subscription to WOWPresentsPlus. I sat down on my couch with my dinner I had made ready to start a new Drag journey with these queens. I went in not knowing anything about this season or the queens. I wanted my first impression to be from their first appearance on the show.
The episode starts off with RuPaul spitting only the best koala and Perth-anality puns as we get a look of the Down Under werkroom. The first thing that gagged me was the fact that the werkroom was flipped around. Compared to the werkrooms of US, Canada and UK that usually places the vanity station on the right of the screen, we are now seeing it on the left. This might not seem like a huge deal, but it threw me for a loop and my brain went, “is this because Australia is upside down?” Don’t judge me, please.
The opening credits run, and we get to see the prizes the winner will receive. They will get a one-year supply of Revolution makeup and $30,000 or $20,000 in US currency. This pales in comparison to US and Canada, whose winners received $100,000, but it is better than the UK winners who only get a trip to LA and a limited web show as the BBC doesn’t allow for monetary prizes.
The first queen to saunter into the werkroom is Art Simone of Melbourne, Australia. They are sporting a campy dress resembling a canvas that has been splashed with paint pointing to their name and brand as an artsy queen.
Next into the room breast plate first is Maxi Shield from Sydney, Australia. Dripping in a purple embellished catsuit that delicately shows their babushkas. In the interview chair they say that their biggest strength is that they “don’t shut up,” and, I mean, that worked for Bob the Drag Queen, so go off.
Third is Jojo Zaho of Newcastle, Australia. This proud First Nations Biripi Worimi queen is sporting plastic is fantastic in a clear silhouette and sculpted hair.
Next comes the first Kiwi queen Electra Shock of Auckland, New Zealand. The shade sound effect is already in use as the three other Aussie queens are seemingly unimpressed by this new face. They mention the parched blonde mop on Electra’s head, and I don’t disagree. That wig needed a tune-up. Electra says they are “expensive” but from this entrance look I’m getting more “clearance.”
Next up is Scarlet Adams of Perth, Australia. Now, I will admit they are one of the ones that I had heard of when the cast was announced, but not for a good reason. When the cast was announced, photos of Scarlet in black and brown face were flooding the feeds of Drag Race fans. In a recent interview long time Drag Race judge, Michelle Visage spoke about the controversy to Metro saying, “I know they apologized and that’s it. I say this to my own children, you have to think about why you do things and what you do, and I think it’s important for people to take responsibility.”
Moving right along, in comes Coco Jumbo of Sydney, Australia. Their energy immediately lightens the werkroom with their contagious smile that shines just as bright as their sequin cocktail gown and matching purse, ‘cause a lady do carry a purse.
Waltzing in next is Kita Mean of Auckland, New Zealand, and get this, Kita over here is Miss Electra Shock’s boss back home as Kita owns the drag cabaret Electra works at. Kita brings the full camp to the werkroom in an over-the-top clown-inspired outfit with sculpted neon pink hair in pigtails. Kita is one half of the duo Kita Mean and Anita Wigl’it. These two best friends and business partners rule the Auckland drag scene. But Kita seems keen to take this on by themselves.
Fluttering in next is Etcetera Etcetera from Sydney, Australia, who silences the room in a cockroach outfit. The other queens are a bit taken aback by this but in my eyes, they look gorgeous. Bedazzled antenna to toe they are really making the buggy look work for them.
And if you didn’t see this coming, you must be new to the Drag Race cinematic universe because here they come, Miss Anita Wigl’it. The second half to Kita Mean. Yeah, the queen Kita was just saying they were glad they weren't here. My question is how did they not know? When you get accepted to compete you are sworn to not tell anyone, but they had to be suspicious of each other. They are both taking off the same amount of time from work, getting outfits made. I feel like they knew. Kita didn’t seem that shocked to see her, honestly. The queens all made sure Kita repeated what she said about Anita, of course. This banter and shade are nothing new between these two. This also means that Electra is competing against both of her bosses...anyway.
Last in comes the famous Karen From Finance of Sydney, Australia. Yes, you read that name right. This queen is the only one I actually have heard of even before the cast announcement. Their name has been shouted amongst the drag community for years. I am so excited to finally get to see the legend that is Karen From Finance. This so-called “queen of corporate” is the definition of camp in my book. They are giving comedy and “let me speak to the manager” chic.
Moving onto the mini challenge, we see the queens being prompted by RuPaul in improv acting warm-ups as they audition for the fake movie “Thar.” Along with Ru is Thor director Taika Waititi who is giving us pre-filmed reaction realness as he is away filming the next Thor film. As first mini challenges go this wasn’t my favorite. As the prompts were all different, I don’t think there was really any way to compare the queens or see what they are actually good at. The lines they had to read also made no sense and added nothing to this challenge. The standouts in my eyes were Jojo Zaho and Electra Shock as they managed a chuckle out of me even with the little they had to work with. Ru seems to agree as Electra is named the winner of the mini challenge and wins a necklace set from Fierce Drag Jewels.
Ru announces the main challenge. The queens must show off two looks on the runway. Category one is Born Naked. The queens are to give “you’re born naked, and the rest is drag.” We have seen this category before from the first episode of season seven. But, in that episode the queens had to first sew a tear-away resort outfit that revealed a nude illusion. Category two is No Place Like Home. The queens must represent their hometowns on the runway. This category has been a common theme in the international seasons as both seasons of Drag Race UK featured this theme on the first episode. Though, this theme was first done on the premiere episode of Drag Race season nine.
On elimination day, we get to know the queens a little more. Our focus is turned to Jojo Zaho as they talk about how their looks are going to represent their aboriginal heritage. They reveal that for a year they lived in a mission which they describe as “like a concentration camp for black people.” As someone who doesn’t know much about New Zealand and Australia, I am so thankful Drag Race is able to help educate people on things like this around the world. Jojo goes on to say that you couldn’t leave the mission, and you needed permission to come and go.
Then we turn to Kita Mean as Electra asks how they feel about the Born Naked runway. Kita is very apprehensive as they share that they have had gastric sleeve surgery for weight loss. Turning to her business partner Anita, other queens ask how Anita feels competing against Kita. The show seems to be gearing up toward a climax between these two. I am guessing an Alyssa Edwards Coco Montrese type lip sync, except not enemies but best friends.
On the runway, Ru walks down in a beautiful black sequin dress and white hair. We are introduced to our resident judges, Michelle Visage and Rhys Nicholson. I had never heard of Rhys but just by his comments, I am already in love. Then we get the odd reveal that also on the judging panel is RuPaul but out of drag. This has never happened in Drag Race herstory. Ru claims their makeup was lost in transit. Maybe resident makeup artist to RuPaul, Raven, missed her flight? Anyway, now it is clear to see the Ru in drag elements were filmed at a later date.
In the first category, Born Naked, the queens take to the stage for the first time. My tops for this category include: Scarlet Adams in a full silicone nude illusion with blonde hair and gorgeous accessories, Etcetera Etcetera sporting a non-binary take on a nude body with beautiful features of both female and male anatomy encrusted in stones, Art Simone in a half drag half naked look that fit perfectly and finally, Karen From Finance in a campy take on the category with a reveal on top of reveal. My bottoms for this category include: Jojo Zaho with a blah looking nude illusion that sadly revealed their undergarments, Coco Jumbo who I feel had a brilliant concept with wearing an oversized drag face, the execution just wasn’t there and finally Kita Mean in a nude illusion that was covered in white balls that just seemed out of place to me and added nothing to the garment.
For the second category, the queens represented their hometowns on the runway. My tops in this category include: Scarlet Adams representing Perth dressed as the state animal, the black swan, Etcetera Etcetera representing Canberra in a beautiful flowing grey look illuminating the grey hills, Karen From Finance representing Melbourne as a drunken white woman at the Melbourne Cup and finally Art Simone also from Melbourne giving a two in one look going from a more corporate Chanel inspired look to a grunge street art inspired look. For this category, my bottom looks include: Electra Shock from Tamaki Makaurau the land of 100 lovers in a miss-mash of things placed on a leotard and Jojo Zaho from Newcastle representing the Aboriginal Empire outfit that just was messy in places. I adored the message on the back saying, “Always was and always will be” calling out the colonization of native land. This message is so important, and I am so happy they got to share this on a national level.
The judges seemed to agree with me as the tops included Art Simone, Karen From Finance and Scarlet Adams. The bottoms included Coco Jumbo, Electra Shock and Jojo Zaho. Backstage after the queens are dismissed, we see Jojo getting emotional as they know they are probably going to have to lip sync. The rest of the mini “Untucked” is uneventful. Back on the main stage, it is announced that the winner of this challenge is Karen From Finance winning $3,000. Then RuPaul reveals the bottom two as Electra Shock and Jojo Zaho. These two must now lip sync for their life.
Performing to “Tragedy” by The Bee Gees, neither of these queens miss a beat. But Electra pulls out front with their facial expressions and a 360 jump into a full split that gags the judges. Jojo is giving their all to keep up with Electra but being that Electra is a trained dancer, Jojo just isn’t standing out. As a first lip sync, this is one of the best I’ve seen coming out of the gate. In the end, sadly Jojo Zaho gets sent home. The rest of the cast celebrates off stage after Jojo exits. We then get a preview of next week which is the legendary episode Snatch Game!? Episode two is Snatch Game? Well, I can’t wait to see how this turns out.
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