For years we’ve called RuPaul mother, but is there about to be a new mama in town?
Having recently passed the 200th episode milestone, RuPaul’s Drag Race *original recipe* is a veritable institution, and Ru’s been there every step of the way across 15 seasons—and that’s to say nothing of All Stars, numerous spin-offs, and various international iterations she’s been involved in.
Yes, the 62-year old icon and drag queen—excuse us, Queen Of Drag—has been at it for a minute, and though she looks as dazzling as ever, we all know she can’t possibly keep hosting forever, right?
Naturally, that’s led many fans to theorize what Drag Race might look like if, one day, Ru decides to put those wigs on a shelf and retire for good. Would there even be a show? And, if so, who could possibly fill her heels?
How about we take this to the next level?
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Well, because a certain subsect of the fandom is extremely Reddit-literate and already knows the outcome of the current season up to the live finale (in addition to some future seasons), they’ve moved on to cracking some bigger theories—namely, who does Ru want to have take over the mantle of Drag Race?
And their current guess? Why it’s none other than Sasha Colby, the trans icon who won the famed Miss Continental drag pageant in 2012 and is the current frontrunner of Season 15 (because, sorry Loosey LaDuca, we’re not counting Mini Challenge wins here.)
Here, allow TikToker @allidoisdryheave to break down the her-storic nature of Sasha’s hypothetical win:
@allidoisdryheave Drag Race theories. #dragrace #sashacolby #season15 ♬ original sound – PhilipSeymourHoffwoman
Why fans think Sasha Colby is going to win Season 15
At the start of their video, the TikToker acknowledges the fact that, yes, Sasha is absolutely destroying the competition thus far. With multiple Maxi Challenge wins, two additional episodes where she’s scored “high” with the judges, and never so much as touching the bottom three of the week, Miss Colby’s impeccable track record is pretty appropriate considering she’s “your favorite drag queen’s favorite drag queen.”
But, a presumed frontrunner barnstorming their way through the competition without faltering even once doesn’t necessarily make for a dramatic season of television, does it? That’s why, as @allidoisdryheave lays out, some theorize she’ll ultimately lose the crown to a challenger, giving whichever queen that may be a ready-made underdog narrative.
Are you still with us? Good! Here’s where the TikToker flips all of that on its head, making the case for Sasha to win not just the crown, but future hosting duties:
“Here’s something I don’t think people have considered yet: Ru is going to retire soon, probably—or at least pass the main engine of the franchise to someone else.
But rather than consider a Sasha Colby win weirdly too obvious, consider the implications of RuPaul doing that. Ru would be in the twilight of her career crowning the first ever Miss Continental and Drag Race winner.
By crowning Sasha Colby the winner, Ru would essentially be giving out the biggest crown ever given out in drag, and be the one to give it out—that’s an extremely Ru thing to want to do.”
With both a Drag Race crown and a Miss Continental title, that’d make Sasha one of the most decorated queens of all time and, as the fans’ logic goes, one of the only people worthy enough to take the show’s baton from Ru.
Huh, makes you think!
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Why fans think Sasha Colby will be the next host of Drag Race
By the way, all of this way already floating in the ether before the latest episode of Drag Race, “50/50’s Most Gagworthy Stars,” in which Sasha claimed her third Maxi win, putting her heads and wigs and shoulders above the competition.
With victories in improv-style hosting, a fashion-forward ball (“The Crystal Ball”), and a scripted comedy acting challenge (“All Queens Go To Heaven”), the show is certainly making space to show off what a well-rounded talent Sasha is—and praising her at every chance they get.
(Plus, she had a fiercely close yet still definitive win over Anetra in the first round of the LaLaPaRuZa!)
And then there’s what went down on the main stage during deliberations: After praising her note-perfect Beyoncé runway, Ru singles out the way Sasha worked with flamenco legend Charo in the challenge, underscoring how comfortable she felt at the helm of the fake interview show.
Ru even asks Sasha if she’s hosted TV previously, going on to say, “You’re a natural, kiddo!”
Mama Ru has never shied away from basically announcing her favorites on the show, but this feels like she’s going the extra mile, making sure that we see what she sees: Sasha Colby is a star!
And, you know what? We agree! While it’s hard to imagine RuPaul’s Drag Race without its namesake queen at the helm, Sasha Colby sure does make for a worthy successor—and she doesn’t even need the Season 15 crown to prove that.
Here’s more of what fans are saying about the theory over on Twitter:
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Paulie P
the have you hosted television before question was during a take off of the show 20/20 and nothing more. you think out of 15 seasons that sasha is the front runner? Jinx, Bianca, Ben de la, and the list goes onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
barryaksarben
I agree. there are others who may be better. Sacha is lovely but. Id watch Six or Bn de la talk to a fern.
powersthatbe
This topic smacks of ageism. Mother doesn’t have to give up anything unless she is ready to. I love Sasha as much as the next, she is a fierce competitor and very grounded. But I think it’s unwise to think Mama Ru is going anywhere but your living room TV set, unless she wants to. Period.
LumpyPillows
It’s not like it is a difficult gig. She’s been phoning it in for years.
PubicHairus
Definitely ageism. Why is this still endorsed by Queerty?
LumpyPillows
Doubt it. Maybe they should just cancel it. It would be like Fashion Police without Joan Rivers.
That said, Ru loves money and will probably never give any of it up. They will have to wheel her out on a gurney, dead as a stump, to get her to give up 100% of that money machine.
CatholicXXX
No it isn’t. Rupaul doesn’t make or break the show. All he does is introduce the challenge, fake laugh, and tell people they were born to do drag.
But Sasha would be a terrible host. The producers are editing things to make her seem better than she is and to give loosey that sore loser/desperate queen edit.
LumpyPillows
Well, we agree on Sasha.
SUPREME
in my opinion, they’ve already fixed it for Sasha to win the crown. i could see it from the first episode of the season. if she doesn’t win, i’d be very surprised.
IvanPH
Nah. There would be better hosts than her like Trixie Mattel, Bob the Drag Queen, Jinx Monsoon, Monet X-Change.
SUPREME
i think the show should end when RuPaul decides to call it quits. everyone else, no matter how they would do, would just be a shadow of Ru.
graphicjack
Shangela. If not her, Bob or Bianca (who would have to tone down a little bit of the shade). Courtney would actually be perfect, but apparently Ru doesn’t like her now. Absolutely NOT Trixie. She’s terrible on Queen of the Universe and her AS3 win is… questionable. Ben, meh… her persona is a taste I’ve never acquired as it feels like a character, not genuine and approachable. Jinxxy maybe… I could see that. Why get Monet when you could have Bob?
SoloMcDaniel
I haven’t seen any indication Ru’s close to retiring from Drag Race. It’s not like his other projects are taking up his time too much. His Lingo show is getting lower ratings than The Price Is Right @ Night did in the same time slot. However if he did decide to retire, I’d be happy to see Bob, Shangela or even Symone take over hosting duties.
Ouranos
Im not getting anything from her there’s been many queens who would be better for hosting yeah she can lip synch but most gays can I feel like she’s being helped throughout the season very light on the editing
Hayden
Mama Ru shouldn’t be goin anywhere but my Queen pick HAS to be Manila Luzon