During the second round of shooting the music video, Phi Phi proves to be the one who struggles. Shifty-eyed mountain man Mathu Anderson describes her initial take as, “Dorothy [from]
The Wizard of Oz on crack.”
And if there’s anyone who would know what a Dorothy on crack looks and sounds like, it would be Anderson.
The girls are predictably emotional about their final main stage. It’s a time for grand, sweeping statements about their time on the show. Chad Michaels quips a rather specific analogy, “It’s like graduating high school and going to Yale.”
Of course Chad said Yale. Chad doesn’t have state-school dreams.
For the main stage, RuPaul reveals her black and yellow dress in its full glory and the only thing that I can think of is
those Parking Spot airport shuttles. I
’m flooded with low-grade PTSD about oversized luggage and late buses. Maybe the final runway looks will clear my head.
Chad Michaels comes out first, in a powerful, Versace-inspired S&M outfit. And while I want to love it, I’m upset to see her wearing the same fringe shoulder pads from her press photo (and I’m so over these
press photos).
Sharon stays true to herself: spooky makeup, muted outfit, and tentacle fingers. It’s… good. The makeup was flawless, but I was a touch bored by the rest of it.
Phi Phi O’Hara serves up Flintstones 2012, pink leopard… semi-realness. Michelle Visage is gagging for it.
Finally. We made it to the last episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season Four. Yelling! Cheers! Excitement!
For this blessed, final hour (not counting that silly reunion show thing next week), I hope you all put excessive amounts of effort/money/thought into a viewing parties. Your apartment is repainted pink and black to match the workroom, right? Iron Fist Footwear flanks the north-facing RuPaul Shrine. And three disco balls, representing each remaining contestant, hang above the TV.
With all of this attention—nay, devotion—to detail, what could go wrong? We’ve dedicated ourselves to nearly three months of emotional turmoil. Remember all of those craft table mini-challenges we suffered through? And remember all of the Willam we tolerated? And Latrice! Latrice is still not here.
Oh, the suffering.
Clearly, Ru owes us worthwhile finale. Heck, shouldn’t we get this thing commercial-free? Quick, someone call up that brand manager dude from Absolut. I’m sure he can pull a few strings.
You can’t blame a boy for trying.
Let me contain my excitement.
Well, there is one thing that could make this more entertaining: transgender choreographer Candis Cayne. Her concept for the video is, “high-fashion dragzilla primal glamour.” This, incidentally, is also my nickname when I go dancing at all the hot nightclubs. (H.F.D.P.G. rolls off the tongue better after a few drinks, trust.)
During rehearsal, Sharon struggles to learn the steps. Sure, Phi Phi is a bit “cha cha” and Chad Michaels is a touch girly. But Sharon barely remembers the correct number of spins.
If only the choreography had been “low-fashion dragzombie feral eleganza.” Sharon could have tackled that without a hitch.
oh please
Sigh….
This SURPRISE had already been leaked, so big whoop.
However, I’m pissed at RuPaul repeatedly this season using the phrase “we’re breaking all the rules” – and when Willam actually did break a rule she was canned!
Just Jay
I’m pretty sure this episode caused me to have an aneurysm.
I can’t believe they did this! It’s messing with my emotions and I don’t approve.
Texndoc
If RuPaul truely is going to factor in the fan base, it is Sharon Needles in a landslide. Landslide.
QJ201
@Texndoc: TOTALLY
The taping is in LA tomorrow. I’m sure the winner will be leaked by Thursday anyway.
David Aventura
I would love to see Sharon Needles win. But, at this point, I’m in the “Anybody but Phi Phi” camp.
Paul
I could careless about a buch of guys dressing as women I can’t understand why guys that like guys would even watch that crap someone splain it to me
Jonathonz
@Paul: Uh, it’s entertaining? Some of us don’t need to be titillated by our entertainment. It’s enough that it’s entertaining.
Jonathonz
SHARON NEEDLES all the way baby.
Dave
The good news is that Ru and the producers have had plenty of time to absorb just how much everybody hates Phi Phi. She’s not charmingly ambitious; she’s just a bitch. A total crabpot person: the first to try to climb to success on others’ backs, and the first to pull down anyone else who makes it to the top. Appallingly venomous. We so don’t need to reward that shit.
Gary Indiana
@Paul:
You cared enough to read the recap.
DouggSeven
While it sucks to not have a winner on a finale, I’m glad they are making it up to the fans. Everyone’s favorite Sharin would have lost last night. His outfit was awful and his lip syncing was even worse (I still say he woulda lost on ep. 8 had Willam not been DQ’d). It is a bit of a sleezy marketing trick to make us watch the reunion show. Sure ratings traditionally go down for those, but this one would have been decent with people tuning in to see the Willam mess.
There was no reason for tonight’s episode…at all.
Sharon’s boyfriend Alaska was brought up in this article. I bet he’s on next season as a way to get Sharon fans to turn in. He won’t make it far though, he’s terrible. I’d be suprised if the relationship lasts long after Sharon’s win.
Spike
Yawn, Survivor DQ Style, given the tweeting matter, the reunion show has not been shot yet, or rather sometime between Monday nights show and next Monday, sooo . . . so much for the leaks claiming they knew who the winner were.
Disgusted American
well Ive been watching RPDR since the beginning – I like all 3 – for diff. reasons – but – Chad Michaels as a CLASS ACT thru and Thru (he’s paid his dues)! Sharon for 2nd – phi phi for 3rd
AxelDC
How lame of RuPaul. The finale without a finale. Is she that desperate to get people to watch the reunion.
I think I’ll have to tune out, because this was one stunt too many.
adam
Ru Paul is a sad sack who has taken his fetish for the female form far too far. I don’t even think he’s gay to tell you the truth. He’s a female form fetishist who has exploited the gay notion to further his career in my view.
ChristopherM
@adam: WTF is a female form fetishist? You’re just making stuff up now.
Comixbear
Was it just me, or did the show have the previous winners deliberately look awful so that this season’s queens would appear even better? I like this year’s contestants, but the old winners looked like they should have been in a high school production at an all-boy’s high school.
realgay
I think Chad should win. He’s been consistent. In the finale he looked the best. He did the best in the acting challege and lip sync. I think the coronation is being dragged out so people don’t remember Chad’s outshining the other other two so the title can be given to Sharon. I’ve been a fan of Sharon’s but he bombed in the finale. You can’t go down the runway at the biggest moment with octopus tenacles and a dress that looks like one you already worn.
hamoboy
From what I’ve heard of Sharon from her talking heads, and also interviews after the show, I don’t think she expected to be in the show for the long run, and maybe didn’t pack quite as many outfits/looks that other queens did. Also, she probably didn’t expect to win, so just kinda phoned it in over the episode. However, now encouraged by her HUGE fanbase, and having a few months to get polish advice from other queens, and infusions of cash and couture from her new celebrity status, I think she’ll kick ass in the reunion, and take hom the win regardless of whether it’s a fan vote, or eliminated contestant vote.
Alex Sarmiento
Either Sharon Needles or Chad Michaels winning would be great. Phi Phi O’Hara – oh, hell no. Overall, Sharon has been the most consistent and interesting of the contestants, so she deserves the win. But I’d like to think that RuPaul would honor the past and the future of drag by crowning Sharon and Chad co-winners.
Just out of curiosity: Absolut Vodka is a sponsor, if not THE sponsor, of Drag Race. Part of the winner’s prize package is basically shilling for Absolut. Would Absolut be fine with a Drag Race winner who is a teetotaler or a recovering alcoholic? Would a teetotaler or a recovering alcoholic even be allowed to compete on Drag Race?
DouggSeven
@hamoboy: I got this impression as well. When the first episode aired that was pretty much geared for him to at least not get last place, I felt as if Ru was giving him a bit of a boost to grow on the audience. I was team Sharon (and so were many by online polls) after his first promo video before the show even aired.
Michael
@Dave: Hey Dave, you say “everybody hates Phi Phi, she’s just a bitch, a total crabpot person” and you’re accusing someone of being “venomous”?
hamoboy
@Michael:
The difference between truthful and venomous is pretty obvious. We are allowed to call out hateful behaviour. We are allowed to hate a villain on TV. We are allowed to not book the villain from performing at local clubs. And we are allowed to boo the bitch offstage should we ever see her IRL. That’s not hateful at all.
What IS venomous is picking out the most unusual drag queen in a bunch and immediately label her “the weakest” (Sharon Needles). It’s venomous to attack a successful showbiz queen who would later go on to win the talent based episode by telling her she has no talent (Willam). It’s venomous to cozy up to a fellow contestant every knew wasn’t too bright and give deliberately misleading advice, so that they get eliminated (Jiggly). THAT’S venomous!
While I don’t agree with the death threats Phecal O’Hara has received, anything else being dished out to her is fully deserved. Any moron in her shoes watching the first episode should have played the whole “I’ve grown so much since then, I’m so embarrassed, please forgive me Sharon + the public” narrative. Instead, she bitches back harder at anyone dissing her on twitter or FB, she calls Sharon Needles fans the “insane clowns” or something like that, and refuses to act apologetic towards Sharon when they’ve been interviews together in public. It doesn’t matter what’s been said behind closed doors, if she wants the public to forgive her for her behaviour, she should have been much more contrite and friendly, especially towards Sharon, jiggly and Willam. Instead she does shows where she leads a chant of “F#$K WILLAM!”. She basically ensured she’d never win, which was stupid because she knew she’d need fan support to be chosen.
hamoboy
Did anyone feel like Raja and Tyra were instructed to look as busted as possible so they would make this season’s queens look polished? Because if that’s what winning does to you, Sharon and Chad should let Phecal take the crown and run!
Nic
I think it should be sharon. she provides the ‘weird’ kids something to look up to. PhiPhi seems to be a crappy person and is just your standard pageant queen. I just can’t support having a spokesperson with illegal silicone in their face. That shit should NOT be encouraged.