Not funny and disrespectful?? Despite looking forward to it every year, that’s the best way to describe a lot of Snatch Game performances. And, alas, this year had some of the worst.
But first! In the wake of Hormona’s elimination, Kori is celebrating. And the shade doesn’t stop there. She also thinks Jewels is overpraising Lana’s lipsync performance. Sam does too. And, honestly, I agree.
It’s a new day in the work room and Arrietty is wearing a cute periwinkle turtleneck sweater. Let’s cherish this last moment of thirst from me, because wow did my crush take some hits this episode.
It’s Snatch Game! I gasped with joy even though, again, it usually sucks. Onya announces that she’s doing Eddie Murphy and I immediately got excited at the thought of her dragging him for being very homophobic in his comedy while secretly hooking up with transsexuals. (Most famously Shalimar Seiuli.)
Acacia says she’s doing Trisha Paytas — even though Sugar bombed doing her — and Jewels says she’s doing Miss Bigfoot. (Like Bigfoot but a lady that’s not some Gen Z reference you’re missing.) Suzie is doing Ellen Green and she is gunning for that third win. Kori teases her about blowing it.
Alyssa Edwards shows up! And I was reminded that she won Global All Stars! Good for her! She meets with all the queens and we learn that Lexi is doing Gilbert Gottfried and Lydia is deciding between David Lynch and Catherine O’Hara. Ru warns about Lynch but I was shouting at my screen for Lydia to choose him — a request I would soon regret! Kori says she doesn’t know who Lynch is and Onya says she hears the word lynch and gets scared. Arrietty is… doing cupid.
Sam is doing someone named Kim Gravel from the pageant world which means something to Alyssa Edwards but not to me. Kori is doing Big Ange from Mob Wives and Ru roasts her fro always wearing the same lace up shoe. When Onya says she’s doing Eddie Murphy, Ru says she should do Mrs. Barry White instead. Luckily, Onya does not heed this advice. Crystal is doing Nicole Richie. And Lana is doing Rosa Parks.
Lana doing Rosa Parks isn’t inherently a bad idea. But she says she’s choosing her because she was just a regular woman. I guess it’s not Lana’s fault that the American education system is broken, but it is her fault not doing basic research on her Snatch Game character. Rosa Parks was not just some old woman who felt tired and didn’t want to change her bus seat! She was an activist! And she was only 42 when she refused to give up her seat on the bus! Kori says, “I’m dumb and even I know more about Rosa Parks.” Truly baffled by Lana choosing a historical figure and then just going off vibes.
The Snatch Game contestants are Alyssa and… gAy I. Ugh. I mean, I guess it’s supposed to be funny that it’s a giant butt plug, but frankly I find that offensive to giant butt plugs which are much more useful than “generative” AI.
There have been worse Snatch Games, but this one was still rough. Acacia is fine as Trisha Paytas, but also cringe and unremarkable. Lexi as Gilbert Gottfried IS very funny, but also she freezes and can’t seem to get a sentence out. (Points for staying in character and staying funny though.) Sam seems to be the only one who did any research, but she doesn’t really have jokes and doesn’t find the funny for anyone unfamiliar with Kim Gravel. Suzie plays up the Ellen Greene voice so much that she’s inaudible and I guess it’s supposed to be funny, but it does not work. Kori as Big Ange IS funny, but the edit includes so little of her that I have to assume she didn’t say much.
Now let’s get to the truly awful. Arrietty hasn’t done well in previous comedy challenges, but that’s nothing compared to this. She’s supposed to be cupid and all she keeps saying is, “I’m baby.” I truly felt my crush leaving my body watching her bomb so badly. Crystal as Nicole Richie is also really bad. She didn’t even seem to know Lionel is her dad? Then there’s Lydia as David Lynch. Of course, there’s no way for Lydia to have known that this would be airing weeks after his death. But this still would have been disrespectful! The makeup is crazy and nothing she says has anything to do with Lynch? It’s fine if she couldn’t get the voice down — that’s not my issue. I just don’t understand how you fail to mention any of his work or any of his interests. Talk about the weather! Meditation! Coffee! Instead, she just “acts weird.” I guess that’s what we should expect from a Lynch fan whose other favorite director is Tim Burton.
But the worst is Lana. As established, she knows nothing about Rosa Parks and she doesn’t even try to make jokes. A terrible Snatch Game performance all around. It’s one thing to bomb with Nicole Richie — another to bomb with Rosa Parks.
Luckily, Jewels is very funny as Miss Bigfoot. She is committed and had some good jokes. And THANK GOD for Onya’s Eddie Murphy. She was by far the best of the night. She did not make any references to his homophobia or his sexual proclivities, but she did a good impression that was also really faggy which was fun in its own way. She just COMMITS and it makes her so much fun to watch in these comedy challenges.
This Snatch Game speaks to a larger issue with Drag Race as the years go on. References have always been a large part of drag — whether that’s referencing a certain type of woman or pop culture references. More and more the queens on the show seem to only be able to reference the show itself. I know I sound very old even though I’m only 31, but it’s just a bummer that all of these queens are quick to quote an iconic Untucked but don’t seem to know anything about the famous people THEY CHOOSE for this challenge. Not every drag queen needs to be Jinkx, but I do think knowledge of art and history and culture beyond your art form deepens that practice. It reminds me of film school when kids would bring in scripts about film students. You need to live a life beyond your narrow focus! It’s especially disheartening when that focus isn’t even drag — it’s the television program RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Okay enough ranting. The next day in the work room Suzie thinks she won which is a wild case of drag delusion. When the other queens tell her as much, she says it’s because they don’t get her references. Babe. I get your references. You flopped.
Anyone desperate for some real comedy, fear not! Quinta Brunson is the guest judge! And when the time comes for her to give feedback every idea she throws out is gold. These queens need Emmy-winning Snatch Game joke writers.
The runway theme this week is Nailed It. Most of the queens redeem themselves here. Maybe every week should just be a fashion challenge? Arrietty even got a bit of my crush back with her jeweled-nails four arms look. The only one I didn’t like was Sam with her syringe nails plastic surgery look because the syringe/plastic surgery thing has been done so many times in the past — and better.
Suzie, Acacia, Kori, and Lydia are safe. Lexi, Sam, Jewels, and Onya are top. Lana, Crystal, and Arrietty are in the bottom.
Sam being in the top is bonkers, but at least it’s revealed that she’s there mostly so the judges can give her critique. She’s less top, more middle. I would have put Lydia in the bottom, but I’m not sure who she should’ve replaced. Maybe Crystal.
Onya wins. (Duh.) Arrietty is safe. (Hmm.) And that means Crystal and Lana are lip syncing to “Hands to Myself” by Selena Gomez. At one point, Crystal goes between Lana’s legs and in the confessional she says this isn’t a duet. But the most iconic lip syncs ARE duets! I think the queens should interact more, not less. Neither of them are doing that good of a job, and then Lana’s wig falls off.
And yet somehow Lana wins? Look, Crystal was pretty boring this season, so I’m not too upset. I do wish Lana was as good as she thinks she is. Fake it until you make it, sure, but I can’t see Lana making it to the top four this season.
Teleport Us to Mars!! Here Are Some Random Thoughts:
+ Hormona left her bob behind in the work room. I hope one of the queens wears it at some point.
+ One good thing about gAy I is it reminded me of the virtual assistant on Monét’s Slumber Party, a very fun show you should watch!
+ Quinta says she would “abort that baby” in reference to Arrietty’s cupid and I agree !!!
+ I think that lip sync might’ve been the first time I heard a Selena Gomez song, not including Emilia Pérez.
+ Click here if you want to read some WORTHY tributes to David Lynch.
+ Queen I’m rooting for: Onya
+ Queen I’m horniest for: Jewels? I guess?
+ Queen I want to sashay: Sam and Lana
My wife and I were shocked that Lana was deemed to have won this lip sync. Crystal’s lip sync was way better, her Snatch Game was a little less bad, and also Lana has performed poorly, like, a lot. But so the Drag Race goes. Also 100% Team Onya in this household.
My screeners cut off before the reveal of who is sent home and I spent several days CERTAIN it was Lana only to be surprised when I checked last night!
All of your points about the queens only being able to reference drag race are very well made- this was a terrible snatch game! And only Onya was standing out on the runway to me- I feel like the runways this season have also been so lackluster. I hope these girls can get it together!
Yeah very possible I was being generous to the runways because they were at least better than Snatch Game lol
Omg DREW 🤣 being generous to these disaster children!