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radiantfractureWriting DW posts is helping with my barometric pressure stupour, so.
(Spoilers for Drag Race All Stars Season 8 up to last week's episode.)
My core motivation for making this post is to express two emotions about Heidi N. Closet's life choices:
1. Confusion that she chose to perform as Blackbeard for the Snatch Game, and
2. Mingled regret and admiration that she left the show.
My tertiary motivation is to talk about the runway.
#2 first. I always think it's kind of wonderful when people quit Drag Race. If you are playing a game and it turns out that the game is not fun, is in fact kind of horrible, you definitely should stop playing the game. I support everyone in any and all quitting of shitty experiences. No questions asked.
It does mean the show is now about 33% less interesting, so I'm sad for me.
Okay, Blackbeard.
Snatch Game is of course the celebrity impersonation challenge. Apparently everyone looks forward to it? It is a decisive moment in the competition. I kind of hate it because of the immense possibility of public embarrassment for many individual people. I gather that is also the appeal.
The queens all portray celebrities, usually someone that RuPaul likes, and then they compete to see who can be the funniest and most outrageous.
It used to be controversial to do masc characters, but basically nobody gives a shit now. So it's not the fact that Heidi chose to play a dude that confuses me.
It seems to me that the the sole reason to choose Blackbeard as a character is to reference Our Flag Means Death. Because queer Blackbeard and Taika Waititi.
But from what I could see, Heidi's Blackbeard didn't reference OFMD. Now, who knows what production cut? Definitely something involving a dead parrot -- but I saw no whisper of OFMD which, since it is the queer pirate show of the long moment, is -- weird.
Counterpoint: Who wants to try to follow Taika Waititi? But in that case, Blackbeard seems like a bewildering choice. Like, yes, you could for sure make said pirate camp, have smoke coming out of your beard, etc., but it's pretty esoteric without OFMD as a touchstone. Whereas an OFMD reference would have been -- mwah. You know?
So confused.
Jimbo's 100-year-old Shirley Temple probably would have won anyway, but it seems like a lost opportunity for gay to cross-reference gay.
The Runway
I will now talk drag fashion. Meanwhile, I dress like I found my clothes in a box under the porch.
--Are you sure those aren't cleaning rags?
--No, but they fit pretty good!
It's mainly a question of zip-front hoodies and cutoffs. They are very important, but they are all in tatters.
Highlights of the "Ru-veal Yourself" Runway (reveals)
These looks were accomplished, but with one exception, a little lacklustre for All Stars. I missed Heidi and wanted to know what her reveal was. (You only get to see it on Patreon. The cheek.)
Jessica Wild -- A fluffy feathered robe, reminiscent of her chicken outfit; then an egg minidress that split to reveal a cute fried-egg bathing suit. Really only the egg to yolk was a reveal, but I liked it. Toot.
Kahanna Montrese -- Teeny showgirl outfit and then she took her clothes off, revealing herself. Cute take. Toot.
Jaymes Mansfield -- pink fluffy muppet to classic burlesque layers. Nice, though I would have liked the muppet to fit better; the burlesque costume was awesome, but she seemed not 100% into it -- sort of perfunctory. Also I wish it had been a more muppety bulesque. Still, many layers of pink reveal. A toot.
Kandy Muse -- 50s housewife to red gown to silver lingerie. The last reveal makes this work -- the other costumes were cool, but fit kind of awkwardly because of the reveals underneath. However, in her final reveal, the elegant vertical pull of a central ribbon causes the red dress to drop to her feet and her prismatic silver lingerie to be revealed. Bam. Toot.
Lala Ri -- Very pretty royal purple velvet bodysuit, but not a reveal. Boot.
Alexis Michelle: Spinning transformation from wicked witch to much prettier wicked witch. Very well-executed, though I agree that there could have been more contrast between the two personae. Toot.
Jimbo -- (Deep breath) Jimbo walked backwards onto the stage with his rear half costumed as Adam walking forward, then turned around to reveal Eve. Giant apple over the nether region; popped the leaf to reveal a leaping snake. Tour de force. Again. Shoot. Literally.
{rf}
P.S. Also, when the hell is season two of OFMD being released?
{grrrf}
(Spoilers for Drag Race All Stars Season 8 up to last week's episode.)
My core motivation for making this post is to express two emotions about Heidi N. Closet's life choices:
1. Confusion that she chose to perform as Blackbeard for the Snatch Game, and
2. Mingled regret and admiration that she left the show.
My tertiary motivation is to talk about the runway.
#2 first. I always think it's kind of wonderful when people quit Drag Race. If you are playing a game and it turns out that the game is not fun, is in fact kind of horrible, you definitely should stop playing the game. I support everyone in any and all quitting of shitty experiences. No questions asked.
It does mean the show is now about 33% less interesting, so I'm sad for me.
Okay, Blackbeard.
Snatch Game is of course the celebrity impersonation challenge. Apparently everyone looks forward to it? It is a decisive moment in the competition. I kind of hate it because of the immense possibility of public embarrassment for many individual people. I gather that is also the appeal.
The queens all portray celebrities, usually someone that RuPaul likes, and then they compete to see who can be the funniest and most outrageous.
It used to be controversial to do masc characters, but basically nobody gives a shit now. So it's not the fact that Heidi chose to play a dude that confuses me.
It seems to me that the the sole reason to choose Blackbeard as a character is to reference Our Flag Means Death. Because queer Blackbeard and Taika Waititi.
But from what I could see, Heidi's Blackbeard didn't reference OFMD. Now, who knows what production cut? Definitely something involving a dead parrot -- but I saw no whisper of OFMD which, since it is the queer pirate show of the long moment, is -- weird.
Counterpoint: Who wants to try to follow Taika Waititi? But in that case, Blackbeard seems like a bewildering choice. Like, yes, you could for sure make said pirate camp, have smoke coming out of your beard, etc., but it's pretty esoteric without OFMD as a touchstone. Whereas an OFMD reference would have been -- mwah. You know?
So confused.
Jimbo's 100-year-old Shirley Temple probably would have won anyway, but it seems like a lost opportunity for gay to cross-reference gay.
The Runway
I will now talk drag fashion. Meanwhile, I dress like I found my clothes in a box under the porch.
--Are you sure those aren't cleaning rags?
--No, but they fit pretty good!
It's mainly a question of zip-front hoodies and cutoffs. They are very important, but they are all in tatters.
Highlights of the "Ru-veal Yourself" Runway (reveals)
These looks were accomplished, but with one exception, a little lacklustre for All Stars. I missed Heidi and wanted to know what her reveal was. (You only get to see it on Patreon. The cheek.)
Jessica Wild -- A fluffy feathered robe, reminiscent of her chicken outfit; then an egg minidress that split to reveal a cute fried-egg bathing suit. Really only the egg to yolk was a reveal, but I liked it. Toot.
Kahanna Montrese -- Teeny showgirl outfit and then she took her clothes off, revealing herself. Cute take. Toot.
Jaymes Mansfield -- pink fluffy muppet to classic burlesque layers. Nice, though I would have liked the muppet to fit better; the burlesque costume was awesome, but she seemed not 100% into it -- sort of perfunctory. Also I wish it had been a more muppety bulesque. Still, many layers of pink reveal. A toot.
Kandy Muse -- 50s housewife to red gown to silver lingerie. The last reveal makes this work -- the other costumes were cool, but fit kind of awkwardly because of the reveals underneath. However, in her final reveal, the elegant vertical pull of a central ribbon causes the red dress to drop to her feet and her prismatic silver lingerie to be revealed. Bam. Toot.
Lala Ri -- Very pretty royal purple velvet bodysuit, but not a reveal. Boot.
Alexis Michelle: Spinning transformation from wicked witch to much prettier wicked witch. Very well-executed, though I agree that there could have been more contrast between the two personae. Toot.
Jimbo -- (Deep breath) Jimbo walked backwards onto the stage with his rear half costumed as Adam walking forward, then turned around to reveal Eve. Giant apple over the nether region; popped the leaf to reveal a leaping snake. Tour de force. Again. Shoot. Literally.
{rf}
P.S. Also, when the hell is season two of OFMD being released?
{grrrf}
