Even though we are living through a global pandemic, I personally feel blessed that it is happening during the same time as two new back to back seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race. While Season 12 is coming to a close, it is quickly being followed by RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 5. RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars are seasons where queens from other seasons who did not win the crown are able to come back and compete for a second chance. Luckily, the All Stars seasons are always filmed a year or more in advance, including the winner so there is no way that the COVID-19 pandemic can jeopardize the season. RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 12 is ending with a virtual lipsync extravaganza which is very different from the usual star-studded live performance at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. You can watch the virtual finale on VH1 Friday, May 29th at 8 p.m. To kick off the beginning of All Stars, which airs Friday, June 5th at 8 p.m. on VH1, I am honoring the best moments from the past 4 seasons so you can either catch up or reminisce on all the fun.
- Mimi Imfurst vs. Everyone
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No one will ever be able to forget the classic Untucked between Mimi Imfurst and every other drag queen in the All Stars Season 1. Mimi was a controversial queen to begin with since her time on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 3. After this iconic fight in Untucked that spawned a million memes, including Raven’s “Well guess what Mimi,” Mimi was the first to leave on All Stars 1 along with her partner Pandora Boxx. The clip itself should be displayed in the MoMA but that’s just my humble opinion.
- Tatianna’s Variety Show Performance
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Tatianna’s spoken word performance about her genitals in the first episode’s Talent Show has proven to be legendary. She made it very far on Season 2, and her talent is on full display during this performance. It is still talked about to this day and landed her in the top two in the first episode. One of the most iconic moments of all time.
- Alyssa Edwards as Annie Oakley
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Alyssa Edwards is known as a dancer, she owns her dance studio, and it was clear that she was going to dominate in the Rusical challenge. For this Rusical, they did Herstory of the World and Alyssa portrayed Annie Oakley and it truly is amazing, she steals the show in every scene she is in. Alyssa made it to the top 5 of the season, but I thought she should have been top 3.
- Katya Final Four Read U Wrote U Performance
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As the final four competed in one last challenge for the crown, they were tasked with creating their own verses to RuPaul’s song “Read U Wrote U.” Another iconic moment is about to be born when Katya begins her performance. A million memes dawning the words “Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova…but your dad just calls me Katya.” A true cultural reset that landed Katya in the top 3 and as one of the most loved queens to ever come from Drag Race.
- Aja’s Variety Show Performance
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Aja’s performance of her own song was full of energy, and her death drop at the end is legendary. It had everyone in the audience gasping and impressed. RuPaul’s reaction in the video above says it all. This performance also spawned the now famous quote “Is she gonna jump from there?” This also secured her spot in that episode’s top two.
- BenDeLaCreme as Julie Andrews
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BenDeLaCreme’s performance as Julie Andrews was one of the most impressive performances ever. The judges loved her performance and she was in the top two during this episode and many others.
- Every Eliminated Queen on “Sitting On A Secret”
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All the eliminated queens were able to return and perform a musical number for a chance to return to the competition, something that happens in every All Stars season. Chi Chi DeVayne, Morgan McMichaels, Thorgy Thor, Aja and Milk performed “Sitting On A Secret” and absolutely killed the game. This performance still circulates on social media as one of the greatest performances on All Stars. Of course, Aja came back in with her killer death drops.
- BenDeLaCreme’s Self Elimination
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The most shocking moment ever in the history of RuPaul’s Drag Race happened in All Stars 3 when BenDeLaCreme decided to send herself home instead of one of her fellow queens. DeLa had won all but one challenge leading up to this challenge, which she won, and was the clear frontrunner for the winner. She did so well throughout All Stars, it was a complete shock when she decided to go home.
- Gia Gunn’s Variety Show Performance
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Transgender contestant Gia Gunn chose to do the traditional Japanese dance Kabuki that she has been practicing since she was a kid. This performance was very beautiful, and I do not think she got the credit she deserved from the judges. Even though Gia was painted as the villain during this season, her Kabuki performance showed a very different and likable side to her.
- Valentina vs. Monet X Change
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Maybe one of the most iconic lipsyncs of all time, Valentina and Monet X Change lipsynced for their legacy to Ariana Grande’s “Into You.” Valentina completely turned it out and won the lipsync and the ability to send a contestant home, per All Star’s rules.
- Trinity the Tuck as Caitlyn Jenner
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In the legendary Snatch Game episode, Trinity the Tuck gave an amazing performance as Caitlyn Jenner. Her performance landed her in the top two of the challenge, and even though she lost the lipsync to Manila Luzon, everyone agreed that Trinity was the true winner of the Snatch Game and that what she did was iconic.
- Double Crowning
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Another infamous moment that will go down in Drag Race history is the double crowning of Trinity the Tuck and Monet X Change. Why RuPaul and the producers decided to do this is still a mystery to this day but, at the end of season 4 RuPaul crowned both Trinity and Monet as the winners. I feel like Trinity was very deserving of the crown, and even though Monet did pretty well throughout the season, Trinity was a clear frontrunner and solely deserved the crown.