I let a few weeks and needing-to-go-quicker-than-other contestants depart before starting to blog about RuPaul’s Drag Race, Lap Three… Translation: Season 3. Last evening after the opening montage of Mike Ruiz airbrushed-for-your-nerves imagery of Madame Ru herself, the doors open to the main set and front-runners Alexis Mateo is playfully pushing Shangela through the doors as the others fall in accordingly. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, perhaps. They did win the challenge a few weeks ago when they were twins. Priceless twins with their hair attached at the ends. Hopefully a friendship has been forged, for reals.
After the She Mail arrived via video, RuPaul entered and had the girls create a scandalous moment captured on the red carpet. Larger than life Stacy Layne Matthews and Carmen Carrera won the Mini-Challenge and became team captains in the Main Stage Challenge of delivering the news for QNN, the fictionalized and campy news network. Debbie Mantenopoulos coached the anchor gals and weather chicks with their dialogue and character. Each team filmed the final take to be judged on the main stage. Some soared and others faltered. I believed that it indeed was close but I felt Shangela’s gossip girl realness was ever-so-slightly better than Miss Manila Luzon’s over-the-top portrayal of a crazy Asian reproter interviewing Kristen Cavallari, which was indeed very funny. But Shangela had the campy savoir faire that the character needed. But no go, and she was obviously disappointed after hearing she could go to any station, do her thing and be great. Alexis had immunity and was safe, along with Raja, Delta Work dressed in something horrible and blue, a naked but painted-for-the-gods Carmen, et al.
I thought Stacy looked great on the runway but ended in the bottom two with India Ferrah whose weather girl caused a dark storm of wrong. Luckily there was no lifting other queens above heads and placing them elsewhere like in the prvious week and no fight broke out on stage. Just two professional entertainers “lip-syncing for their lives,” owning the runway… or not. Stacey was clearly the winner with her confidence of standing proud and singing her song. India felt it necessary to become quite mobile in hopes to gain attention from judges Chloe Sivegny and Michelle Visage over Miss Matthews and heard the dreaded “Sashay away.” Stacey was safe for another week and India bowed out gracefully.
The show opens doors many queens would kill for. Even though someone is eliminated and doesn’t win the $75,000, the exposure and publicity is worth so much more. I’m still Team Alexis Mateo in this camp. And you?!
Shangela got robbed in that challenge! Miss Stacey took me back to the old Warehouse 28 days in Nashville with that lip-synch! She earned it! Enjoying this season tremendously…still don’t have a favourite yet though!