While the rest of you watched Drag Race on TV Monday night, Queerty/GayCities photographer Jeffrey James Keyes went to XL in New York City, where the stars of Season Four had gathered for a viewing party of their own. (The on-screen reunion special was taped Sunday in Los Angeles.)
Rabble rouser Shangela riled up the Hell’s Kitchen crowd while contestants Latrice Royale, Chad Michaels, Sharon Needles, Phi Phi O’Hara, Willam, DiDa Ritz, LaShawn Beyond, Madame LaQueer, Milan, Jiggly Caliente and The Princess mingled with us regular folks. We all waited in anticipation as Ru interviewed the three finalists on the big screen. Logo had craftily filmed three endings, so not even the queens knew who the real winner was.
The crowd went wild as Raja Gemini and BeBe Zahara Benet crowned Sharon Needles as America’s Next Drag Superstar. Her coronation was capped off with nine electrifying performances by the stars of Season Four.
Photos: Jeffrey James Keyes
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Sharon Needles
Raja
Latrice Royale
The Princess
Phi Phi O’Hara
Chad Michaels
Milan
Jiggly Caliente
DiDa Ritz
LaShawn Beyond
Mimi Imfurst
Shangela
Peppermint, Sahara Davenport, Dallas DuBois
Amanda Lepore
Bebe Zahara Benet, Manila Luzon, Raja and friend
Markus
Madame LaQueer
Willam and Jesus Estrada
Latrice Royale
Alaska
Antonio Estrada
Latrice Royale and Bebe Zahara Benet
Chad Michaels
Tackle
When it comes to names, no one is more creative than Drag Queens.
Larkin
alaska #23 is to die for… i hope she’s finally on next season! House of Royalty!
Spike
@Larkin: If Drag Race continues to run a few more seasons, won’t every Drag Queen eventually end up on the show?
Xerxes
The original cockettes were absolutely the best. There was a movie and PBS show about them some time back, and I think that there are a few clips of it on YouTube. Hibiscus, the drag queen founder, was totally inventive and creative. The shows were mostly free back in the seventies, and then the group got large and split into two troupes, one the Cockettes, and the other, the Angels of Light. The ensemble members often roamed San Francisco costumed, and usually in small groups. They were always applauded when entering restaurants, bars, or other entertainment venues, with other patrons picking up their tab. They somehow rallied the ever growing gay population of San Francisco in those days, and were major contributors to the spirit and sense of community of those times.
kouros
#21 who the fuck is jesus estrada? he is gorgeous..i love willam in this one
Larkin
no.. I’m Miss Congeniality from the Miss $1.69 pageant from 1993. Parliament House, Orlando.
Bitch, I can bring it if I choose.
toferdavid
why wasn’t pandora boxx there?
Chris S.
@kouros: He was on Project Runway. I think the LA season.