A new reality show that takes all other reality shows under the tires, it is a combo of "America's Next Top Model" and "Project Runway." Here is the premise:Join RuPaul, the world's most famous drag queen, as the host, mentor and judge for "RuPaul's Drag Race," Logo's new reality series which will be the ultimate in drag queen competitions. The top 9 drag queens in the U.S. will vie for drag stardom as RuPaul, in full glamazon drag, will reign supreme in all judging and eliminations, while the debonair Mr. RuPaul will help guide the contestants as they prepare for each challenge. Contestants include the nation's hottest most glamorous drag queens, including one voted in by you online!
Each week, joining RuPaul on the judges panel, are fashion journalist and best-selling author Merle Ginsberg and Project Runway breakout star and designer Santino Rice, plus a bevy of celebrity guest judges including: Bob Mackie (Designer), Michelle Williams (Destiny's Child), Lucy Lawless (actress), Maria Conchita Alonso (actress/singer), Robin Antin (creator of The Pussycat Dolls), Debra Wilson (Mad TV), Jenny Shimizu (model/actress), Tori Spelling (actress), Dean McDermott (actor), Howard Bragman (Author of "Where's My Fifteen Minutes?") and Frank Gatson (choreographer).Each cast member must embody the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent that made RuPaul an international drag superstar. The judges will determine the bottom two contestants of the week. Those contestants then compete in a show-stopping battle-royal "lip-synch for your life" performance that will determine if they will "shante" and stay and who will "sashay" away until one is crowned America's next Drag Queen Superstar!
It airs on Logo but VH1 showed an episode today, it has been praised by Entertainment Weekly. RuPaul, who was hilarious in Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild, does her best Tim Gunn in men's clothes and also her best Tyra Banks superbitch. Amazingly enough, when the gang starts, they aren't bitching to each other, they are actually quite tame. And like with any drag queen, they all look completely different in their regular man form than their drag form. Of course, there is the stand-out hotness, the Asian one, the bitch, the Latina bad accent macho-looking one, the bad accent one, the involved-in-herself one, the old wise one and the nerd. Rebecca Glasscock's regular man form is super hot. I think this is the only project RuPaul has enjoyed, because this is what he knows and he reveals in it and he can bring it to the world.
Some of the show is definitely uber-into gay and drag culture, so for the layperson, I dunno if they will feel included. In order to be more relatable, the audience sees the gang in their man forms. These bitches are so much more talented than the Project Runway bitches in forming an outfit on the fly. Now, people can say that the show is ridiculous and dumb, but this is bringing real reality to people: Drag Queens, they are out there and you got to see them. I think they are often shoved away, even in gay culture and they need to be expose for the brave ones they are. I am so proud that big stars like Lucy Lawless, Dean McDermott and Tori Spelling are on this show.
