RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3 - Episode 9 Review (Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Style)

If you haven't seen the episode, here's the link:
http://www.logotv.com/video/episode-9-season-3-life-liberty-the-pursuit-of-style/1658505/playlist.jhtml

Coming from an amazing episode last week (not because Delta was eliminated ;) ), I was expecting the episodes to keep getting better. However, this week's episode was a let-down.

First off, let me get this off of my mind right now. They need to eliminated this "Heathers" bullshit. Haven't they seen the movie? I guess they just killed off Heather Chandler last week :). That's why I cherish Season 1 and some of Season 2 because there wasn't that much of a divide. I was hoping since Delta was gone, this movement was going to end but it hasn't and now it's really dividing these queens.

Now, back to the show. Ru told the girls this week they were focusing on T & A. The T, well we know what that means. For the mini-challenge, the queens had to transform plain black bras into bejazzeled bustiers. Shangela wanted to make a replica of Ru's face on her bra. EPIC FAIL. The standouts this mini-challenge were Yara and Manila.(who made her bra into torpedos lol). It was clear that Manila won the challenge.

Well, we knew what the T was, and now the real challenge was about the big A (and it's not my big A ;) ). It's AMERICA. The girls has to create a PSA on how the queens love America. These PSAs will be sent to the troops as well. Now, even before the challenge, I thought it was a contradiction to have the queens do something patriotic when America can't legalize same-sex marriage. That's all I have to say and I'll leave that for another blog. During the brainstorming session, it seems that Shangela didn't help Yara (even though Yara helped Shangela with her make-up). I actually agree with Shangela on this one. It's a COMPETITION. If I was in a competition, you better believe I'm not helping anyone. On to a softer segment, Alexis revealed to Ru that she has a "love" that's in service and she hasn't seen him for almost 2 years. Will she contain her composure......

Let me clock each girl

Alexis Mateo: BAM!!! that might be the new replacement catchphrase of Halleloo. She was definitely the best of night and I loved her outfit tonight. BAM!!

Yara Sofia: I didn't like it at all. She copied Ru's line of "loving someone else" and she basically looked like an energizer Charo. Her outfit on the runway was ok.

Manila Luzon: I thought her PSA was runner-up for being the best and I really liked her flapper outfit. I really liked it because she thought out of the box and basically not wear the usual red, white and blue. But she needs to burn that blonde wig and never wear that again

Raja: Big disapppointment. Her runway outfit was good but the PSA was bad. It's obvious Santino loves Raja but be fair. It wasn't good at all

Shangela: It was good but my god she needs to go home. Her outfit?? Look, I understand Shangela has a great personality and she's funny, but she has not had one outfit this season where I was like "she's amazing" (The space outfit was ok).

Carmen Carrera: After last week, I gained some hope for her. But, it all vanished after I saw the PSA. However, I loved her hair tonight.

Alexis Mateo won the challenge and the bottom 3 were Yara, Raja and Carmen. I was thinking, I really want to see Raja in the bottom. Not because I don't like her, but I just want to see her lipsync (if you haven't seen her lipsync, again look up Raja's Through The Fire). However, she's saved and Yara & Carmen must lip-sync for their life to.....MICKEY by Toni Basil....but wait....they have to lip-sync to the Spanish version. Now, when I heard this, I was thinking 3 things.

1) This had to be a set-up to have two latinas lip-syncing in Spanish
2) I wish Shangela and Raja was in the bottom 2 doing this. Imagine that mess???

Well, during the episode...Carmen was questioned about her Hispanic heritage because Alexis and Yara believed that she doesn't embrace it. Well it looks like she embraced it during the lip-sync. Kissing Johnny Weir (Carmen's married BTW) was like the kiss of death for Yara and I was thinking she would be sashaying away. Carmen was saved over Yara.....BUT....for the 1st time ever, she didn't eliminated a contestant. Yara's still in the competition. I disagree. I love Yara but I would hate to be Carmen and not eliminate someone.

Another thing about the judges. I love Michelle Visage....but I do not like Santino at all. I feel like he's way too bias and he's more into fashion than overall appeal. Johnny was a great judge and Ru, if I was you, Drag Race Season 4, replace Santino with Johnny.

Now, next week the girls have to record a single and perform it in front of a live audience. Who do I think will go home.....I think they saved Yara for a reason so I feel like she won't go home. If I can predict the show right now, here's what I think will happen.

6th Place = Carmen will probably go home next week. Not to sound racist but 6th place belongs to a latina (Jade season 1, Jessica Wild season 2). Also, I think she's the most boring out of the 3 latinas left and Ru won't send Alexis home (she's won 3 challenges) and I think she wants to keep Yara.

5th Place = Shangela
The funny lady gets 5th place (Ongina Season 1, Pandora Boxx Season 2). Also, the challenges at the end mostly has emphasis on sewing and she cannot sew at all. But I really want to see Shangela lip-sync against Raja

4th Place = Yara Sofia
Yara reminds me of Shannel with the eyes and because she really hasn't won a challenge yet (maybe she'll win one soon). If she doesn't, then she's gonna go home.

Which leaves us with Alexis, Manila and Raja
I think it's going to be Alexis and Raja at the end. Alexis won 3 challenges (Tyra won 3) and everyone loves Raja. I think Raja will win because she is very marketable and has more of a character than Alexis.

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3 - Episode 8 Review (Ru Ha Ha)

If you haven't seen last night's episode, here's the link
http://www.logotv.com/video/episode-8-season-3-ru-ha-ha/1657654/playlist.jhtml

 
This season so far has been somewhat predictable in my opinion and the episodes have been ok. But tonight's episode was the best yet. Let's get started

So there are 7 queens left. Alexis Mateo, Manila Luzon, Shangela, Raja, Delta Work, Carmen Carerra and Yara Sofia. The episode starts with Delta realizing she's the only big girl left in the competition. She further states that Stacy should have never been in the competition in the first place because she didn't meet the criteria (cocky are we??).Also, we see Manila and Shangela talking about last week's incident when Manila called Shangela "a loudmouth". Why doesn't Shangela and Manila get along is the question? Manila is Sahara Davenport's (Season 2) boyfriend and we know that Shangela and Sahara were great friends in college. Maybe there's a back-story we don't know about....we'll see.

So the mini-challenge was a "library" session with the girl reading each other.

Now, I was looking forward to see if anyone can live up to Jujubee's read from last season. However, none of the girls were even close to Juju's read. The two people who were good were Delta and Shangela (ironically these are the two shadiest girls still in the competition). The winner was Shangela (not shocking at all) and she had the chance to pick the order for the main challenge.

The main challenge was for each girl to deliver a stand-up comedy routine in front of a live audience. Immediately going in, everyone was worried that Shangela would outshine everyone because she has some experience with stand up. Before the episode started, I thought Shangela and Manila would be the funniest and Carmen and Delta would fail miserably. Well, I was half-right on both sides. Let's "read" each girl

First up, Raja: BEST OUTFIT OF THE NIGHT. Raja dressed up as the horror movie Carrie where they pour a bucket of blood on her. Now I was think just like the Carrie movie "THEY'RE ALL GONNA LAUGH AT YOU", however she really didn't impress me with her comedy routine but she wasn't the worst. I think her outfit saved her tonight. I have 2 questions for Raja. How the hell she made the bucket hat and why didn't she just perform her "Through The Fire" comedy routine. If you don't know what that is, google it.

Second was Carmen: Before the stand-up, she had trouble coming up with her routine in front of guest-judge Rita Rudner. I said in my head "Goodbye Carmen". But she delivered tonight. Definitely my top 3 of the night. My only critique was that I wish she acted like a Jersey girl.

Up next was Alexis: Boobs, Boobs and BOOOOBS (even though they were fake "Silicon floats"). I like Alexis but she wasn't good at all. I was bored and worried she will be in the bottom.

Shangela was up and she was GREAT. Enough said. It was Shangela's episode and she needed it because as we all know. She's not the best person to win a sewing contest.

After Shangela was Manila Luzon: I loved her Sesame Street Big Bird dress and I liked the Count joke but overall it was....ok. Nothing special but not the worst.

The next person who I'm about to say was hands down the best girl of the night, Yara Sofia. She made a routine of herself as a little person.. Her accent was funny and the jokes (some I didn't understand) were laugh out loud. I expected her to win

Last but not least was Delta Work. The worst of the night. First, she was wearing one of those shirts you get from a beach shop at Mrytle Beach and her jokes were a snorefest.

Now, the judges praised Carmen and Yara and proclaimed Shangela the winner of the challenge. I wished it was Yara, but I can't complain. Raja and Alexis were safe as well. This leads us to the bottom two, Delta Work (for the 3rd time) and Manila Luzon (kinda shocking).

The Lip-Sync For Your Life Song is....MacArthur Park by Donna Summer. I was named after this song!!!!....not really, but I loooooooooove this song. I actually found it ironic they didn't used it last week with the cake challenge since in the song it has lines like:

"All the sweet green icing flowing down, someone left the cake out in the rain"

....but I'm glad they used it tonight because Manila Luzon just showed me that she is one of the best lip-sync drag queens to ever appear on Drag Race. Definitely one of the best (along with last season's Sahara vs. Morgan and Season 1's Ongina vs. BeBe). Manila Luzon stayed while Delta "sashayed" away.

It was definitely Delta's time to go. One of the most insecure girls I've seen on Drag Race. Always trying to get Raja's approval, ragging on Stacy and calling anyone other than Manila, Raja and Carmen "boogers". She was constantly complaining about other people not being competition while she was in the bottom 3 times. I actually now feel that there will be less "Heather" talk now that she is gone. I still think Raja is going to win the whole season but with Manila's lip-sync, she might take it as well. We'll see next week, when the queens have to make a patriotic video. See ya next week

xo Clenny Kravitz

RuPaul's Drag Race Season 3 - Episode 7 Review (Face, Face, Face of Cakes)

For those who have not seen the episode, click on the line below
http://www.logotv.com/video/episode-7-season-3-face-face-face-of-cakes/1658507/playlist.jhtml

The episode starts off with Manila, Delta, Carmen and Raja calling each other "Heather" based on the 1989 cult-classic movie "Heathers" starring Winona Ryder and Shannon Doherty. Basically, these 4 girls consider themselves as the 4 cutest and most intimidating girls in the competition. In my opinion, I can say that Raja and Manila are competition because they've proved it based on their outfits and winning challenges. I can't say the same about Delta and Carmen (even though Carmen wins most of the mini-challenges). Now Rupual comes out and gives the queens their mini-challenge. They have to pose in a tasteful nude photo-shoot and serve face and "womana". Immediately, Delta says she doesn't like to have sex naked? You can talk all this crap about Stacy but to me, she's the most insecure person in the competition. The standouts to me were Raja (she's a model of course), Yara Sofia, and Delta (suprisingly). What was even more surprising, was Carmen Carerra winning the mini-challenge (for the 3rd time in the competition).

Now the real challenge is brought to the queens. They had to create a couture outfit based on a cake they are assigned. Since Carmen won the mini-challenge, she assigned each queen a cake. Here's what each queen was given.

Alexis Mateo - Cheesecake
Shangela - Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Yara Sofia - Strawberry Shortcake
Stacy Layne Matthews - Red Velvet Cake
Delta Work - Angel Cake
Manila Luzon - Carrot Cake
Raja - Chocolate Lava Cake
Carmen Carerra - Princess Cake

Now, here's why I'm not a fan of Shangela. After she was eliminated last season on the 1st episode for not being able to sew a good outfit, she should have went home and taken Sewing 101. Now she's backa year later and still can't sew. To me, that makes me wonder if she can make it further in the competition and will she choke. When Rupaul came into the workroom, she gave the queens another challenge. They have to decorate a cake based on their personality.

The Runway Portion:
Yara Sofia - To me, she had one of the best dresses on the runway. Definitely couture and i loved how the thorns on her dress complimented her tattoos.

Manila Luzon - It was definitely couture. But I hated the belt. It looked like my sister made it. It was ok.

Alexis Mateo - I liked the outfit from the waist up. Now I admit the skirt was a bedspread, but it wasn't one of the worst.

Carmen Carerra - I loved the hair. Now I hated the outfit at first, but after watching it again, I really like it. The only thing I didn't like was the big poof on her shoulder. Less of it would have made it better.

Stacy Layne Bryant Matthews - I've grown to like her and I wanted her to do well. But that was the worst outfit in the competition so far. The only thing I liked about it was the poof on her shoulder. But as a big girl, she should have definitely worn a dress rather than a one-piece suit.

Shangela - It was a plain yellow dress with an ornament on her shoulder. Not good but it was better than expected for Shangela.

Delta Work - It was toooooooo much going on with the outfit. The hat, the hair, the shoulder jacket. And as a big girl, why would you tie your waist up? That is a fashion no-no.

Raja - You know you're the shit when you can flash your underwear and still have the best outfit. It was amazing and her cake was good too.

Now, the judges loved Raja, Manila and Delta's outfit. I can understand Raja and maybe Manila but Delta??? I disagree. I thought Top 3 were Raja, Yara and a toss-up between Carmen and Manila.

Raja was named the winner (her 2nd big-challenge win). The bottom 2 were Stacy Layne Matthews (deserving) and Alexis Mateo (disagree, should have been Shangela or Delta). The LFYL song was "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart and Alexis KILLED IT. Stacy had no chance and she was sent home. It was definitely sad to see her go home but after that outfit, definitely deserving.

To me, I think this season is becoming very predictable now. I see Delta going home next (it's really time for her to go), then Carmen (boring), then Shangela (I don't think Ru will keep her to the top 4 when the challenge is mostly sew-related), then Yara (she's flying under the radar but not top 3). Top 3: Alexis, Manila and Raja. I think Raja will win the whole thing but Manila can win as well so it's close.

Next week, the queens will have to "read" each other (can't wait to see Shangela read these bitches) and have to deliver a stand-up comedy routine. Based on this, I can see Delta, Carmen and Alexis struggling because they are not funny at all. Shangla might actually win a challenge because she's the funniest one that can deliver a stand-up. Manila and Yara might rely on Asian jokes and Spanish jokes respectively and the judges might get then on that. Raja's a wild card in this challenge. Can't wait for next week



Clenny Kravitz
Team Raja, Manila and Alexis!!!!!!