Top 20 Times RuPaul's Drag Race Got Real
"RuPaul's Drag Race" puts the real in reality TV. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for those emotional moments when these “Drag Race” queens showed us their hearts.
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00:00 I didn't want to say it on national TV because my parents said no."
00:03 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for those emotional moments
00:08 when these drag race queens showed us their hearts.
00:11 We're more focused on times the competition took a backseat to emotions,
00:15 so we're not including many fights or shocking eliminations on this list.
00:19 "This is a lip sync for your life, we need to see your lips.
00:21 Take that thing off of your mouth."
00:24 Number 20. Heidi Quits
00:28 The All Stars format brings with it a whole new set of challenges.
00:32 Your fellow contestants are not just your competitors, they're your friends.
00:36 Heidi and Closet learned that the hard way.
00:39 In the Snatch Game of Love episode, gameplay and accusations of sabotage
00:43 had season 12's Miss Congeniality feeling anything but congenial.
00:47 "And I wasn't even hitting the joke that Ru was giving me,
00:49 so why are you digging the hole even deeper for me? It really, really hurts."
00:55 Fellow contestant Kahana accused Heidi and Closet of trying to make her look bad
00:59 during the challenge. Before she could even fully respond, Candy Muse confronted Heidi,
01:04 accusing her of throwing her under the bus.
01:06 "Since we're talking about family and stuff, Heidi,
01:09 why did I hear that you went to Jimbo and told her that I'm coming for her?"
01:12 Seeing the way the wind was blowing, Heidi stepped right out of that situation.
01:19 She announced that her piece was more important than the grand prize,
01:23 and bowed out of the season completely.
01:25 Number 19. Sasha Kolbe's Tic Tac Chit Chat.
01:29 From the start of season 15, it really was like the Sasha Kolbe meet and greet.
01:33 "Welcome to the Sasha Kolbe meet and greet."
01:35 "Oh, feels good."
01:37 Her reputation as a former winner of the Miss Continental pageant preceded her.
01:41 That she was a steady and gracious competitor made her eventual win that much sweeter.
01:46 However, the compassionate queen has known heartache.
01:49 During the Tic Tac Chit Chat segment with Ru and Michelle,
01:52 Sasha opened up about her traumatic past,
01:55 including her father's death by his own hand at the age of 80.
01:58 "He was such a good man. He was like my biggest ally.
02:01 That was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with."
02:08 She credited the event for a great deal of spiritual growth.
02:12 Although she's been through so much,
02:14 her revelation only convinced us of her status as a goddess on this earth.
02:18 Number 18. Pearl Addresses Her Younger Self.
02:22 This season 7 finalist went through a lot throughout the competition.
02:26 Her face-off with Ru, of course, became a defining moment.
02:29 "So I have something on my face."
02:33 But that wasn't the only time Pearl got real.
02:38 When Ru held up a photo of her as a child and asked what she would say to her younger self,
02:42 her cryptic but raw response struck a chord.
02:45 "You're about to enter like the toughest...
02:50 You're gonna enter the toughest years of your life."
02:53 While there were suggestions that her past was not necessarily rosy,
02:57 Pearl didn't go into detail.
02:59 But the thing is, she didn't need to.
03:01 Seeing the sheer emotion on her face was nothing short of impactful.
03:05 Her genuine, honest answer is probably one of the reasons this segment endures today.
03:10 Number 17. Ginny and Bimini Talk Being Gender Non-Binary.
03:15 Even among creators whose art is all about gender,
03:18 the question of gender identity can still be a loaded subject.
03:22 "For years and years I just didn't know what I was.
03:24 I didn't know whether I was a boy or a girl. I just didn't know.
03:26 And that's why I wear yellow, because it doesn't say anything.
03:29 It doesn't define me as anything."
03:30 During week three of Drag Race UK's second season,
03:33 contestants Ginny Lemon and Bimini Bon-Boulash made headlines
03:36 when they discussed their experiences as non-binary people.
03:39 It was a surprisingly deep conversation for two of the season's most lighthearted queens.
03:44 Ginny's memories of not feeling supported by their family growing up, for instance,
03:48 is reflective of far too many stories.
03:50 "I had a very difficult upbringing. Myself and my siblings survived.
03:56 We never lived. We survived."
03:58 Their intimate and enlightening conversation may have been an eye-opener for many,
04:03 but it also made it clear that non-binary identities are not new
04:07 and highlighted the importance of such representation.
04:10 Number 16. Talking Body Image The workroom has seen some pretty
04:15 intense conversations over the years, and season nine definitely delivered on that front.
04:20 Eureka O'Hara's casual joke about Valentina having an eating disorder did not go over well,
04:25 and Eureka herself was apologetic.
04:27 "Can I tell you guys about one of the disorders that I have?"
04:30 "Eating. Don't joke about that."
04:33 Several queens, including Sasha Velour, Shea Coulee, and Valentina herself,
04:38 then disclosed that they have actually experienced disordered eating.
04:42 Protected and supported by their fellow queens, they used their time in front of the mirror to
04:46 highlight a prevalent issue in the queer community. A situation that could have become a catalyst for
04:51 more reality TV drama turned into a very real and very brave conversation.
04:56 "I'm surprised about how many girls have struggled with this. There's power in being
05:02 able to confide in your sisters and have them support you."
05:08 Number 15. Charlie's Experiences with the AIDS Epidemic
05:12 Another touching moment from season nine involved the cast's most experienced queen,
05:16 Charlie Hides.
05:17 "I came out just before AIDS became known, so none of my friends were playing safe.
05:23 I buried all my best friends."
05:26 Cynthia Lee Fontaine's work with HIV prevention brought up their memories of living through
05:30 the initial AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. It was clear they still carried the reality of this era
05:36 on their shoulders, along with all the hardship that came with it. Fans don't always remember
05:40 Charlie with kindness due to the way they left the competition, but one moment doesn't define
05:45 a Drag Race contestant. Here, they opened a window to a historical era that many of the younger
05:51 queens, and many viewers, simply didn't have direct access to.
05:55 "It's important to not forget what happened in the 80s and 90s during the AIDS crisis,
06:01 and how many brilliant voices in the world of art and drag we could have without those losses."
06:09 Number 14. Yara Sofia Gets Emotional During the Lip Sync
06:12 Drag Race is a stressful experience, but few seasons seemed more demanding of its queens
06:18 than season three. No one, not even Yara Sofia, was spared from lip-syncing for her life.
06:23 "For me, being in the bottom two, it's like losing. I feel horrible."
06:29 When she and Alexis Mateo landed in the bottom together at the top four, Yara was clearly spent.
06:35 By the first chorus, she looked so dazed and began tearing her runway look apart.
06:40 Soon enough, she was unable to continue.
06:43 "I'm crying because there's a lot of emotions. I was thinking too much. I'm so angry,
06:50 and I'm so disappointed. I'm a mess."
06:55 Even Alexis stopped performing to console Yara. It's clear the latter queen wanted
06:59 things to go differently. If you don't think Drag Race is serious business,
07:03 watching the beloved fan-favorite experience this should be enough to convince you.
07:07 Number 13. Kim Chi Addresses Her Younger Self
07:12 It was hard not to love Kim Chi and everything from her iconic intro to her unique runway walk.
07:17 There was something so undeniably sweet and genuine about her.
07:20 When RuPaul pulled out the picture of Kim's young self, the Season 8 finalists started off pretty
07:25 composed. But things soon became more emotional. Through tears, she alluded to her past depression
07:31 and social isolation. "At times you're gonna wanna think about harming yourself or
07:35 even running away, but I just wanted to let you know that it will all get better."
07:41 She offered her young self the advice that the things she was once ashamed of were exactly the
07:45 things that made people love her. What made it so special is that this was so spot on.
07:50 We had just watched an entire season of Kim Chi winning us and the judges over.
07:55 Because she was just that lovable. "And what you thought was all just a dream
08:00 will come true for you because life will get better."
08:03 Number 12. Alyssa Edwards and Her Sister
08:06 Alyssa Edwards and her sister Tabitha had an emotional reunion on All Stars,
08:10 and family proved to be a loaded topic. "Alyssa's sister, Tabitha."
08:15 After initial tears over their own troubles, the Edwards siblings get a visit from Ru.
08:19 "I thank you for coming. The day that they closed my mother's casket, I just shut down.
08:26 I just threw myself into my work. I felt that if I didn't see my family or if I shut them out,
08:34 I didn't have to face the passing of my mother. So now seeing Tabitha, oh I'm facing it."
08:40 When RuPaul tries to get into Alyssa's outrageous personality, she and her sister gush about their
08:45 late mother. Edwards starts coming to terms with that heavy loss, and lets out her pain.
08:49 "My mom danced, I got that from her. She felt like everything I touched was gold."
08:53 "She was always encouraging me." "I had one person that believed in me.
08:57 She protected me from the cruelty of the world." "You are what you are because of her."
09:00 "Yeah." Just like when her father
09:04 apologized for years of cruelty to her, Alyssa is in tears almost immediately.
09:09 "And now I'm not ashamed to tell people my son is gay."
09:13 "Oh my god." "I hold my head up high."
09:17 She's such a strong personality, but moments like this remind us that she's also a human being.
09:23 "I'm glad you guys get to be together because I think this needed to happen. This is for Sherri-Ann."
09:29 "Yeah." "The world gets to see her fabulousness through you. She's with us."
09:33 "She is, definitely."
09:35 Number 11. The death of Detox's partner. In preparation for the week's acting challenge,
09:40 RuPaul tasks the queens with donning gloomy attire and crying on cue.
09:44 What starts out as a comedy challenge, with the queens making up dramatic and ridiculous stories,
09:49 soon brings out Detox's very real trauma regarding the death of a boyfriend.
09:53 "Looking around the room and seeing mournful-looking characters, and I feel like I felt
09:59 the day that I saw him dead. And it's really hard for me to try to stay out of that right now."
10:04 If there was one thing Detox was during season five, it was professional. Confidence and polish
10:10 was their M.O. And Ru help you if you came for her in Untucked. But this late season
10:15 mini-challenge saw their cool and collected demeanor slip away. It was one of those rare
10:20 and revealing moments that made the competition seem secondary, even for someone as poised to
10:25 succeed as Detox. "I'm not used to being so vulnerable and looking so vulnerable,
10:30 and I feel very uncomfortable."
10:31 Number 10. Dusty's experience with conversion therapy. Many of the queens on Drag Race have
10:39 been upfront about their struggles with being ostracized by their families, while others can
10:43 point to their parents as their biggest fans. The queens of season 10 were discussing this when
10:48 contestant Dusty Ray Bottoms opened up about their experience with their religious parents.
10:52 Their coming out was deeply traumatic, and saw them being forced to undergo the pseudoscientific
10:57 practice known as conversion therapy, among other disturbing things. "They took me to church,
11:04 they got me exercise, because they thought I was possessed by a gay demon." It's heavy stuff,
11:10 but Dusty never lost their faith and went to build a beautiful life as their true self.
11:15 Every queen seemed to take heart in their resolve. There is no denying this was a powerful moment.
11:21 "Now I have a wonderful fiance, we have a beautiful life together, things are going really great in
11:27 my life, and I didn't have to compromise or change for someone's small-minded view."
11:32 9. Monica Comes Out
11:34 Monica, season 2's Kylie Sonek love, and season 14's Jasmine Kennedy showed us that being who
11:40 you are can make you vulnerable, but it can also make you powerful. "I definitely do feel that I
11:46 am just a bitch." Only two episodes into season 5, Monica Beverly Hills was receiving harsh reads
11:53 from the judges for her disconnected performances. "Also in your runway as well, I don't know,
11:58 maybe you're sad today or it's a hard day, you're kind of disconnected." Rather than fight with the
12:03 judges, Monica began crying when they confronted her about it. "Monica, tell me what's on your mind?"
12:08 "It's true what you're saying, there is a lot going through my head, I feel I'm not here."
12:14 Hills admitted that her head was elsewhere, as she had been struggling to open up about
12:18 being transgender. "I'm not just a drag queen, I'm a transgendered woman." It's always so beautiful
12:25 to see someone embrace their authentic self. With the truth out there, Monica went on to
12:30 slay in the lip sync as well. "Ladies, I've made my decision. Monica Beverly Hills, Shante, you stay."
12:42 Number 8. Adore Quits
12:45 Adore Delano looks so distraught by her second episode of All Stars that Alyssa Edwards stops
12:50 ranting to check on her. "The one joke she had was on Adore, are you okay?" "Uh-huh."
12:55 "Even though I'm trying to put on a smiley face for the day, everything's just processing,
13:02 and at this point I'm just trying to figure shit out." When Ru comes into the workroom,
13:10 Delano explains she's feeling attacked by Michelle Visage over her personal style.
13:14 "I feel like Michelle does not take me seriously. I believe in beauty in a denim jacket and barefoot."
13:22 "I love all forms of drag." "Of course." "But if you're saying that because of the critiques
13:28 on the main stage are the reason you're tapping out, is that enough to tap out for?"
13:34 As Adore suggests leaving the competition, RuPaul sends her out to talk to Visage.
13:39 After a hug, Michelle apologizes for hurting Delano with her tough love approach to judging.
13:44 Despite Michelle's pleas to stay, Adore leaves because she doesn't feel right
13:48 about the competition anymore. "Tomorrow is another day. I don't want you to wake
13:53 up tomorrow morning and go, 'What did I do?' And that's a possibility." Delano's departure
13:59 is all the more heartbreaking since Michelle and even other contestants want her to keep going.
14:04 "I'm leaving RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 2. I feel like shit." "I love you, but I don't want
14:12 you to give in to giving up." "I just don't think that this is for me." Number seven,
14:17 Cynthia and Trinity talk about Pulse nightclub. "So Trinity, when you were in Orlando and that
14:24 situation happened, like, were you freaked out? I mean, I know you're from there."
14:28 "You're talking about Pulse?" "Yeah." Many people had a connection to the Pulse nightclub tragedy,
14:33 but Cynthia Lee Fontaine and Trinity Taylor were still processing their losses.
14:38 "Did you lose a lot of people, Trinity?" "Well, I didn't know any of the people that
14:42 actually lost their lives. I knew several of the entertainers that were trapped in the dressing
14:46 room that escaped." Trinity explains she was performing at Pulse only a week before the
14:51 attack. The other queens are left speechless when Cynthia explains that she had to reschedule an
14:56 appearance at Pulse the night of the incident. "And unfortunately, one of my friends died on
15:02 that incident, Martin, and he was like, like, two or three hours before, like, 'Cynthia, you're not
15:08 here. You're supposed to have a show. That's why I came here tonight.'" The discussion gets dark,
15:13 and is loaded and raw in a way you don't always see on reality TV.
15:17 Considering how devastating the attack was to the LGBTQIA+ community, this talk served as an
15:23 important reminder that queer rights and spaces need to be protected from hate. "What happened
15:28 in Orlando at Pulse nightclub was a defining and shocking moment for gay people, and the fact that
15:37 it was an act of violence against LGBT people of color is not insignificant here." Number six,
15:44 LaGanja gets emotional. LaGanja Estranja's strong personality sometimes came off as fake to her
15:50 fellow queens. So Bianca tells her she appears too forced. "I believe that you've come into this
15:55 competition with an act. You came in, waterworks, 'woe is me, woe is me, woe is me,' and you're not
16:01 even given a true story. So explain that to me." Though LaGanja tries to suggest she isn't playing
16:07 a character, Courtney insists she's noticed two distinct personalities from her. "Are you aware
16:12 of, like, the two kind of different personalities that we're talking about?" "No, Courtney. This
16:18 right now, that's the bitch that I know." Adore tries to argue with Estranja as a friend, before
16:24 explaining that she talks differently when they hang out together. LaGanja, however, is hurt by
16:28 the comments she feels are an attack, and exits the set crying. "Well, how am I supposed to feel
16:34 in this moment?" "LaGanja, I didn't want to make it that everybody was attacking you." "I feel
16:38 very attacked." "Relax, relax, relax." It was one of those moments that escalated and devolved
16:48 rather quickly, and left nobody feeling indifferent. "I just really don't want her to feel
16:52 picked on, and that was like my main thing from the beginning. I think she needs to figure out
16:58 what is really going on with herself, because I know she's fierce, and I know she has it in her."
17:03 Number 5. Katya and Fame's heart-to-heart. As Katya is second-guessing herself and her
17:10 place in the competition, she turns to Miss Fame for help. "I am, like, kind of freaking out."
17:17 "I've been completely sober for the past year and a half. Most of the time, I'm fine, but being away
17:26 from my network of support has been brutal." Fame talks to her about sobriety, and admits how much
17:32 the show can shake you. With Katya finally hearing someone experiencing the same thing,
17:36 she admits she's never been able to love herself. "I am terrified of failure, and, like, my sense of
17:44 humor is just, like, has been like a smoke screen for that." "Yeah." "I'll tell you, the first day
17:51 I came in here, the first thing I thought of was, like, 'You don't belong here.'" Miss Fame lifts
17:58 her spirits by reminding Katya that everyone is fighting their own doubts together. "You're being
18:03 so hard on yourself. You're in it, but you're not alone." "I'm here with you having those same fears
18:08 and feelings." Their heart-to-heart spotlights the reality that comes with substance use disorder,
18:13 and the power of opening up. By just talking things out, Katya was able to put her heart
18:18 back in the competition and grow as a person. "After my talk with Fame, I feel like a weight
18:22 has been lifted." "I can't go back! I can't go back! Let's go paint!" Number four, HIV disclosures.
18:32 HIV/AIDS looms large over many of Drag Race's acknowledgements of queer history, but many
18:37 queens are reminders that in the present day, you can thrive while living with HIV. When season one's
18:43 Angina won the Mac Viva Glam Challenge, she disclosed her very personal connection to the
18:48 brand's fund to provide care to those living with the virus. "I've been living with HIV for the last
18:53 two years of my life, and this means so much to me." Similarly, Trinity K. Bonet also disclosed
19:00 her HIV-positive status during the course of the sixth season. Both moments were significant not
19:05 just because of what they told us about the queens, but because they helped destigmatize
19:09 the condition by speaking about it. "I wanted to come on this show, and I wanted to be that voice
19:15 for people who are scared to speak out about that." Number three, Roxy's story. Roxy Andrews
19:23 wowed everyone during her lip sync by ripping off her wig, only to unveil a second wig underneath it.
19:29 When she talked to the judges, however, Andrews was overcome with emotion. As everyone stands
19:38 with worry and confusion, Roxy explains how she was abandoned by her family at a bus stop.
19:43 "I just feel like my mom never wanted me, and
19:46 my mother left my sister and myself at a bus stop when I was three,
19:53 and I remember it like it was yesterday, and like I come off as this strong character.
19:59 I try to stay so strong, but I'm so weak at the same time."
20:04 Andrews is understandably hurting as she discusses what transpired, as other queens try to process
20:09 her story. Even Rue is blubbering before she talks about choosing one's family. The bravery
20:15 it took for Roxy to share such a personal experience so publicly cannot be overstated.
20:20 "We love you, and you are so welcome here. You know, we as gay people, we get to choose our
20:30 family. You know, we get to choose the people that we're around. You know what I'm saying?
20:34 I am your family. We are a family here."
20:40 Number 2. Blair Shares Her Past
20:42 "I urge to find the daintiness, because I feel dirty at times."
20:46 In response to comments about her runway look, Blair St. Clair talks about brightening things
20:52 up because she feels dirty. St. Clair starts to cry, and reveals she was actually assaulted
20:57 during a college party. She talks about doing the best she can, while Rue praises her for being so
21:02 open and thanks her for her honesty. "Thank you for being so candid with us. We love you, Blair,
21:09 and we are family, and I'm actually very proud of you for being so vulnerable."
21:14 Any queen who's not already bawling offers Blair love, and Rue even pauses to give her a moment.
21:20 While St. Clair's story is by no means an easy one to hear,
21:24 her fellow queens showed compassion to match. "I'm very shaken, and I can't wait to find that
21:29 mother f*****. Thank you. No, no, I love you. Blair, are you okay? Alright."
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21:53 Number 1. Chi-Chi DeVayne Tribute
21:56 Drag Race queens seem so much larger than life. It's hard to imagine they're bound by the same
22:02 earthly rules as the rest of us. "We lost one of our most beloved queens this past year,
22:07 a beacon of love, talent, and Louisiana glamour." Unfortunately, we've had to say goodbye to many
22:13 beloved queens like Sahara Davenport over the years. The show's season 13 finale faced that
22:18 reality head-on with a heartfelt tribute to Chi-Chi DeVayne, the season 8 fan favorite
22:23 who passed away in 2020. The messages from Chi-Chi's many loved ones felt like a truly
22:28 beautiful way to honor her, acting as a testament to the lives she touched and the positive impact
22:33 she made on the world. "She was so raw and visceral and honest and I loved every second of it."
22:41 As RuPaul once reminded us, there's more than one way to live forever.
22:45 Which of these drag race moments got to you the most? Let us know in the comments.
22:50 "Where do you get your sense of humor from?" "My father passing away. You never know when
22:57 somebody's gonna leave you, so you treat every day like it's your last day."
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