Out.com EditorsAfter Thursday’s episode, Drag Race fans have started calling this season of All Stars “RuPaul’s Best Friend Race.” And that’s not a good thing.
Despite saying Rolaskatox—the season 5 alliance between Roxxxy Andrews, Alaska, and Detox—was not a thing, the three queens are acting like the opposite. All three queens live to fight another day even though one queen *cough Roxxxy cough* has clearly reached the end of the line.
Associate editors Les Fabian Brathwaite and Michael Lambert, along with intern Tyler Austin, recap all the emotions from last night’s episode.
We have to talk that elimination. But the unsung hero of the episode was the drag family competition. What did you think?
Les Fabian Brathwaite: You know when Mama Ru brings in the gurls' family it's going to be an emotional shitshow. Ru loves to yank on those heart strings—and that's how you snatch Emmys. I mean, who didn't lose it when Alyssa and Detox talked about dealing with the anniversaries of the death of a parent?
Michael Lambert: The attitude in the workroom, with queens surrounded by their mothers and sisters, was amazing to watch. Alyssa with her sister on the anniversary of their mom’s death—I just can’t. Tears everywhere. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get so dazzled every runway that sometimes I get lost in the talent—I forget to see the girl who’s pulling it off. Detox was a prime example. She shines every week, but this time I get to learn more about her as a person. I loved it.
Tyler Austin: It was so sweet to see all the queens and their families. The resemblance between Detox and her sister is down right unnatural. There's no wonder they won the challenge since the whole point was to match each other.
Who was the best in the challenge?
LFB: I'm glad Detox won because her runway has been top-notch all season, including these Versace by Versayce numbers she and her sister wore. Katya's and Roxxxy's moms stole the show, but Alaska dropped the ball by putting her mom in a flip flop. A FLIP FLOP. ON THE RUNWAY! This isn't Miami Fashion Week; give mom a shoe!
TA: Roxxxy’s mom was definitely the cutest but even she couldn’t get Roxxxy into the winner’s bracket. Alaska’s spy look was cute but nowhere near the level of slayage she’s been serving all season. Alaska was getting pretty cocky so i wasn’t too surprised when she slacked a bit for the challenge. Katya SLAYED me with the whole Russian peasant mother and trophy-wife bit. Especially since that's a character we’ve only seen a few times in season 7.
ML: Katya really delivered, yet again. I was worried when she was explaining the Russian-peasant bit in the workroom that we’ve seen this bit before. But every time she slips into that character, she still turns out something fresh and wacky. And Detox voguing on that runway? Call the coroner for me.
All right, what do you have to say about this elimination?
ML: I really don’t understand the reasoning behind Rolaskatox. Keeping Roxxxy around isn’t really a “friendly” thing to do. By dredging up this clique history, these super-talented queens are jeopardizing all those fans who, as gay people and as outsiders, have probably all been the victim of a clique at one time or another. Pure and simple, Alyssa’s time wasn’t over. Roxxxy’s was.
TA: Even though Alyssa going home was pretty sad it's good to see that she and her sister did their mom proud up on the stage. Alaska was acting like such a child after she lost. I mean i get it, you’re the baddest queen in the game and now it’s all up in the air. But you gotta keep it together.
LFB: A wise woman named Rose Nylund once said, "When the mask falls off it really makes a thud." And that's exactly how I felt watching Alaska's temper tantrum when she got placed in the bottom. I get it, being an overachiever and constantly winning really set her up for a precipitous fall. But on the other side of the spectrum, Alyssa was a class act after she got eliminated (unfairly...again), giving us one last mouth pop for the road.
All Stars Round Table: You Can’t Sit With Us!
00All Stars Round Table: You Can’t Sit With Us!