Publications
Partners
OUR RATING
4/5 Stars
WHAT IT'S ABOUT:
In this special four-episode event, three different RuPaul's Drag Race fan favourites are challenged with giving three different A-listers drag makeovers.
WHAT WE THOUGHT:
RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race can teach us all a lesson on acceptance, inclusion and authenticity - and I hope you are ready to take some notes.
There's a new RuPaul Drag Race spin-off available on Netflix, and this time it's celebrities getting into drag - competing for the title of "America's Next Celebrity Drag Race Superstar" and a cash donation toward a charity of their choice.
In each episode three Queen Supremes, mentor three celebrities, who compete in a series of challenges before walking the runway in their most sickening drag, and the chance to lipsync for their charity.
And gwurl, Ru was not about to mess around with the mini and maxi challenges, kicking off the show with the popular fan favourite and notoriously difficult Snatch Game.
To be honest, I was completely caught off guard as I'm still recovering from Aiden's portrayal of Patricia Quin in season 12 of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Just between us squirrel friends, with the calibre of celebrity guest judges we've seen through the course of 12 seasons, my expectations for the "secret stars" were high, but to my disappointment, I had to do a quick internet search when the contestants on episode one (Jordan Connor, Jermaine Fowler and Nico Tortorella) walked through the "werk room" door.
That being said, our Queen Supremes, on the other hand… dare I say they outshined the celebrities. And I found it perfectly fitting that the season debuted with three Drag Race winners: Trixie Mattle, Bob The Drag Queen and Monet X Change.
The second episode steps it up with the celebrity status, and I can only hope that the upward trend will continue as the season unfolds.
Despite Jermaine and Jordan missing the mark when it came to the fame factor, it was heart-warming to see both men who identify as straight, embrace the transformation and welcomed an introduction to queer culture with such open arms.
Much of Drag Race's popularity comes from how the show meshes artistry, entertainment, comedy and personal transformation – and that is what made RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race so special to watch.
Drag isn't just sequence, and witty banter it offers a platform for the advancement of the LGBTQI community.
With non-binary, cisgender and female celebrities on the bill, RuPauls's Secret Celebrity Drag Race isn't just a show for the 'queens' to express themselves on issues that affect the LGBTQI community, but for people from different backgrounds to facilitate a conversation around global issues - from discrimination to addressing stigma.
At the end of the day, the power of celebrity Drag Race isn't the big-name stars, but the powerful message of acceptance and inclusion. It's not just about the wigs and tucks, and chicken cutlets, the show emphasised the importance of self-love and confidence.
Whether you feel a certain type of way about your skin colour, size or sexual orientation, we can all learn a lesson from the contestant, and the queens.
Remember, if you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?
Can I get an amen up in here?
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
