In the last 15 years, RuPaul’s Drag Race It has grown from a humble underground game show with almost no budget to an undeniable cultural crush. The contestants, all very talented drag artists, arrive on the show as entertainers and leave as superstars, perhaps breaking a nail or 20 in the process. stresses drag race It is known to be monumental. But hey, making a diamond takes a lot of heat and pressure.
All the blood, sweat, tears, breastplates and duct tape are documented in the new book. And Fuck It!: An Oral History of RuPaul’s Drag Racing (First Decade), Released this week Author Maria Elena Fernandez brings together numerous interviews with author Maria Elena Fernandez in her book. drag race cst alumni, producers, jury members and of course the esteemed host of the show. For fans of the series, the book will provide intriguing details from the cast and crew, a new backdrop to their favorite memorable moments, as well as details about what was left on the editing room floor.
One such revelation comes in chapter two of the book – each numbered episode describes a different season of the show – when Season 2 contestant Jujubee confesses to fainting and getting drunk during a famous performance of “Lip Sync for Your Life”. Jujubee and the other queens on set began drinking earlier in the day as the cameras turned and asked for “a little liquid courage” before their episode’s main challenge: a live performance of a rock cover of one of RuPaul’s songs. The final episode cleverly ditched Jujubee’s over-drunk to save him from embarrassment, but drag race the fan favorite is no longer afraid to talk about him.
“When I drink, one is too much and a thousand is never full,” says Jujubee, who is now sober in the book. “I was trying to rein in the booze, but I said to myself, ‘Juju, it’s probably you. [going to perform in the challenge] First, put all these drinks inside you now.
“I actually passed out while performing,” continues Jujubee. “I don’t remember the performance. All I remember is that I went there and said ‘Ooh, ooh, vomiting!’ … It was my only chance to sing and show the world that I could impress the jury and sing RuPaul’s song in front of RuPaul. And I ruined the lyrics, I ruined everything. I just didn’t know where I was because I was so beaten up.
Season 2 judge Merle Ginsberg says in the book that both the judges and the producers were aware of Jujubee’s deteriorating condition as filming continued. Producer Chris McKim admitted that they felt bad watching the effects of the alcohol given to the contestants begin to take effect. “It was a disaster and a terrible day,” McKim recalls. “I was sneaking around in my chair because I felt so bad and so responsible for sanctioning the drink.”
Jujubee’s fellow contestants were worried that she would either leave the show or take the boot from RuPaul. As the production murmurs and whispers, Tatianna and her co-stars Pandora Boxx and Raven redo Jujubee’s make-up while their helpless co-stars lie on the floor. They knew I had to lip-sync. [for my life] … It was nice to have a family, ”recalls Jujubee.
“The worst ‘lip sync’ in your life meant nothing to me until I had to do it,” says Jujubee. I said to myself, ‘If you don’t win this, you’re going to die. That’s how I pierced inside myself.”
Casual viewers now watching the lip sync alone may not even realize that Jujubee is so drunk. The mood actually lends itself to the lip-syncing song – Alannah Myles’ “Black Velvet” – and can channel an uninhibited sex appeal that makes it the clear winner. Jujubee may not have won Season 2, but it continued to compete for another week and got its own challenge as well.
“These bogus discoveries will no doubt give die-hard Drag Race fans their clamoring response.”
“It shows the tenacity of the human spirit,” recalls producer Tom Campbell. “She had the worst day ever and killed her lip sync.” Executive producer Randy Barbato sees the situation the same way, but noted one big change the show made as it moved on to the next season: “We changed the policy from season 3 onwards. They only get one drink.”
Such dirty discoveries, And Don’t Fuck It!and no doubt he will die drag race Fans first respond that they clamored when the book tackled the strict production rules and schedules that resulted in contestants’ self-elimination, injury, and disqualification. But sometimes, every long episode can feel a little stretched out and covers more unnecessary ground than is ultimately necessary for a show that’s not plagued by dramatic moments and production jolts. While this makes the book a daunting read for anyone who turns the ignition for the first time, drag race devotees, RuPaul’s “Start your engines!” They’ll go through you faster than you can say.