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Are you at home watching Drag Race and sort of wondering what happened to last year's winner, Raja?

Apparently she's friendly with Mario Diaz (sigh, The Cock) who is in this video with Raven, "Diamond Crowned Queen".  And she's grown out her hair a bit.  This is all I know, so back to your television and I'll go back to reading (a book).  (Via Mister Dandridge)

RuPaul's obsession with Tyra Banks continues.

SPOILER:  Don't read if you haven't seen the finale of RuPaul's Drag Race!

Last season saw a winner named Tyra.  This season sees a winner that has been on America's Next Top Model as a makeup artist.  She openly pantomimes Tyra Banks on her show and for two years the winners have been Tyra-related.  Is there something going on here?

Queens be READing!

 

"Gurl’s look is busted.

She is wearing a shredded trash bag, and her wig needs to be brushed. 

At first, I thought I liked her makeup for once, but they did a close up near the end and I was all “ew”"

Surprised? Yeah, me either. I have to admit Shangela presents an enticing target for me for some reason. Trying too hard may be the simplest explanation, but I haven't delved too deeply into it.

Regardless, get in.

And the "read"er ends giving her props, so...there's that on a Good Friday.

Via

If you've been watching RuPaul's Drag Race this season, but haven't seen this week's episode, then don't click this link.  If you have seen this week's episode, then here's a genius way to commiserate.

Would you like to make out while watching RuPaul's Drag Race?

Someone that just moved to Inwood/Washington Heights doesn't have cable, so here's your chance:

Via World of Wonder

LOGO has zero GLAAD Media Award nominations.

Uh, here are your 2010 GLAAD Media Award nominees in which many things that were fairly unwatchable are given praise for including a gay character in their unwatchableness.  Robbed, btw?  RuPaul's Drag Race which brings to mind:  Are there really zero programs on Logo worthy of a nomination?  (Also, don't get it wrong, some of the nominees are good!  Vaginal Davis!)

Please do not use drag queens as props for your Grindr photos.

 

This fellow "Gio"?  He's handsome enough not to need the lovely Jujubee from RuPaul's Drag Race in his Grindr photo, right?  And poor Juju:  robbed of a crown and now used as a prop.  Her facial expression tells it all.

Image via FYF reader Edmond.

Relish in Poetry, Tribute to the Victor of RuPaul's Drag Race, Tyra Sanchez

Tyra! Tyra! flaming bright,
Almost every Monday night.
If only this Beyoncé clone
Could tame her fearful baritone?

While on the runway you are loved,
Behind the scenes, might you get shoved?
While walking down the stairs, my queen?
Like in that famous "Showgirls" scene?

Sasha Fierce, Rihanna, Grace:
The other Tyra gives good face.
Though your makeup may be flawless
Can you try to flap your jaw less?

When you perform, you represent.
So tell me, why did you torment
The other dolls? You drove them mad!
Or did they just edit you bad?

Go on Tyra, get thee gone.
Absolut Drag Tour, carry on.
They're surely glad to have someone
Who can work a hot glue gun.

Tyra! Tyra! flaming bright,
Almost every Monday night.
If only this Beyoncé clone
Would tame her fearful baritone?

Mister Ricky Marson honored each and every fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem.   He had nightmares about Tyra winning.

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, Runner-up Raven

 Once upon a Monday eve-O, while I pondered what to TiVo
Stumbled I across a show on Logo I could not ignore.
There I saw a talented gay, plucked from the hard streets of L.A.
While I know this may sound cliché, she was looking fierce, for sure.
All the ladies wondered what to call her and she said, for sure:
"Call me Raven, nothing more."

Ah, the Raven's razor-sharp wit, skillful way with a makeup kit
Made her a competitor that all of us at home adore.
Sometimes dressed in chicken feathers, always the number-one Heather,
This Patti LuPone in leather showed the other girls the door.
Asked if she would ki-ki when she showed the other girls the door:
Quoth the Raven, "Never, whore."

Raven's walk, it burned down Paris--but she won't be RuPaul's heiress.
She won't get the money, but we don't believe that she'll be poor.
Sipping her Açaí Berri, Raven's truly "leg and dairy."
She's Samantha, not a Carrie--sorry for the metaphor.
Now the show has ended, shall I write another metaphor?
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!

Mister Ricky Marson honored each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. He also wrote a version where Raven won.

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, finale

Do not fret Juju: you're a star, no doubt.
No matter if you didn't get the win.
You're serving fish, honey, and this ain't trout.

A funny quip you're always known to shout.
But victory eluded, what a sin!
Do not fret Juju: you're a star, no doubt.

When throwing shade, you put every light out
And read better than "Huckleberry Finn."
You're serving fish, honey, and this ain't trout.

You're quite the wicked sparkly bean sprout
With tawny sunset gown and devilish grin.
Do not fret Juju: you're a star, no doubt.

When you were young, you had to do without
But that's what gives a person strength within.
You're serving fish, honey, and this ain't trout.

You're heading down a legendary route
So tell those other queens to sit and spin.
Do not fret Juju: you're a star, no doubt.
You're serving fish, honey, and this ain't trout.

Rest In Poetry, Jujubee.

Mister Ricky Marson honored each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem.   He was rooting for a Mystique come-back.

 Programming note:  

Our resident RuPoet Ricky Marson will be live-rhyming tonight's finale episode of RuPaul's Drag Race with poems going up as the action happens. 

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week nine

 

WEEK NINE:
Since she is the baby of the group, it's a nursery rhyme for Tatianna: 

TA-TA, TATI

Little Miss Tati, working her body,
Not a whole lot to say;
She served us real
At every meal,
And so she must sashay away.

Rest In Poetry:  Tatianna

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. 

(Programming Note:  Due to editor error, this tribute - due after last week's episode - is only posted now.  Last night's episode was a she-peat. Don't get dejected or distrustful, though...next week's the GRAND tranny finale!)

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week eight

  

WEEK EIGHT:
While researching poetic forms for this this week's entry, I came across one known as the homostrophic ode. I immediately knew it was meant to be. Without further ado I present the man, the myth, the music player: Pandora (Boxx!)

CLOSING PANDORA'S BOXX

It's hard to say goodbye to dear Pandora
The Kathy/Goldie/Carol Channing kid
I think it's safe to say we all adore ya
But now the time has come to shut your lid
RuPaul declared you this year's Susan Lucci
Because the win always somehow eluded
But you're a ray of light for all us fairies
And in a world of fakes, you're a real Gucci
Our final take: the judges are deluded
The only thing to do? Serve them raaaaaspberries!

Rest In Poetry:  Pandora Boxx

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. 

(Programming Note:  There will not be a new episode on Logo this week.  Tonight is a she-peat.)

Process of elimination amongst Twittering participants of RuPaul's Drag Race indicates a clear winner.

 
Participating in that ages old practice of "Follow Fridays", RuPaulsDragRace posted the contestants with Twitter accounts.  Notably absent is Raven.  First thought of course is that Raven is illiterate, but then it hits:  Raven wins. 

Her 'story arc' is consistent to that of a reality show winner:  

• Not seen super often at the beginning, but seen.  
• In the "bottom two" in early episodes.
• Depicted as "too tough" and "unlikeable", but then shown as having a growingly softer, more likable self over time.

The other remaining contestants all are presented as talented, but flawed.  Raven's flaws are the only ones transforming over time.  So, yet another process of elimination points to the same conclusion:  Raven wins RuPaul's Drag Race, Season Two.

(Disclaimer:  Yes, we are on Twitter.  And we do follow RuPaulsDragRace.  And we watch it.  And the above isn't "Reality Show Linkbait" as some would call it.  We're big fans of Fenton Bailey and the World of Wonder crew.  Just putting that out there.)

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week seven

 WEEK SEVEN:

Jessica Wild charmed us all with her wonderfully unique manner of speech. One could even say she’s a poet and she isn’t aware of it. Therefore, this week’s post is in the style of found poetry, based entirely on Jessica’s own words.

JESSICA WILD: THE DREAMS OF A GOLDEN CHILD

My biggest fears
In the competition is with my English
But if I don't understand something
I am going to
Smile
*****
I feel good because
I feel sexy
I feel that I am
In the country
*****
I love my character because
I love the Muppets so
I feel like I am
A Muppet
*****
My inspiration
Is the cartoon from the Eighties
Jem and the Holograms
The rock band
You can use tomorrow this
*****
I know
But I can said:
I did RuPaul in front of RuPaul
And you're going to have a lot of fun
Looking that Latina
Making you
*****
I'm going to feel that I am "A Pollo"
So
The Sheeken enter fierce
*****
Always
When I'm going to do a show
Something happen
When I put my clothes: Boom!
My corset explode
Jessica Wild:
Always something happen
*****
Be bottom is not bad
*****
I smile in my picture
Because if I have the opportunity of being marry
With Jessica Wild
I am going to be happy
*****
This
Is not
My challenge
*****
The girls said:
We give the Sheekin because don't talk a lot
At the end I realize:
The Sheekin talk a lot
*****
Is inspiring a movie I never saw
But in my imagination
That girl is amazing
Like Jessica
So
*****
I love doing things
Perfect
And I think I lost things from my hands
You know
*****
A kid
He always have dreams
Daydreams
And at the end
All those dreams he make
Come true.

Rest In Poetry:  Jessica Wild

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. 

RuPaul's high school yearbook picture discovered.

 

What it lacks in Creativity(!) Uniqueness(!) Nerve(!) and Talent(!), the photo certainly makes up for in sweetness. Featuring a Starbooty-worthy afro, the young Mr. Charles does seem to have had a twinkle and a smile in the early years. The photo was shared with Ru via her Twitter (which sounds dirty) by a fan who found the photo in his mother's yearbook.

While we've been having fun with our Elegies to the Fallen, RuPaul's Drag Race has genuinely shown more depth and diversity from the once camp-only star. On a weekly basis, RuPaul serves lessons to Tyra Banks on not only reality-show hosting, but 'realness' while Fenton Bailey's team produces a slick, professional network show on a Logo budget.

(Oh, hello, AfterElton readers!  Won't you please click around and check us out?  You can find us on Facebook and Twitter, too!)

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week six

 
 

WEEK SIX:

New York's own Sahara Davenport bears a striking resemblance to another reality TV favorite, Shereé Whitfield of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta." This week, we honor them both with a rondeau.

SHE BY SHEREÉ

"She by Shereé" is the nickname
Of Miss Sahara--they're the same!
That housewife from the ATL
Looks like a drag queen, holy hell!
And neither one looks like a dame.

As butch as Bea Arthur in Mame,
Her manly looks and sturdy frame
Will help Ms. Davenport to sell
"She by Shereé."

Though she did Whitney on Match Game,
Ms. Whitfield is her claim to fame.
Sahara danced like a gazelle
But RuPaul said, "Sashay, farewell."
So when you see her, please declaim:
"She by Shereé."

R.I.P. Sahara Davenport

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. 

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week five

The absence of a new episode last week left our spirits depleted. To help restore balance to the universe, here's a Haiku (or should we say, "Hi, Ru!"):

Morgan McMichaels 
Eat an Egg McMuffin please 
You a skinny bitch

R.I.P. Morgan McMichaels

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. 

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week four

   

WEEK 4: 
Sonique clearly stole her name from that singer who had this '90's dance hit we all remember. (I don't think it's a coincidence that the original Sonique was a girl who looked like a boy, and Sonique 2010 is...the opposite of that.) Therefore, today we pay tribute to her with an appropriate poetic form: the ballad. 

GYMNASTY: THE BALLAD OF SONIQUE 

Again it's time to tell the tale
of who went home this week.
She trashed the queens behind the scenes:
I'm talkin' 'bout Sonique.

Her prowess on the stripper pole
made money rain down lots.
She's named after that drive-thru where
they serve you tater-tots.

She tried to dress like Gaga but
it was a bad romance.
The only part that she got right:
the tuck inside her pants.

She's tumbling back to Georgia, though
her back-handsprings were cute.
She rode that pommel horse away,
Ru's choice is Absolut.

R.I.P. Sonique

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. (And is the first contributor, fyf.)

Rest in Poetry, Elegies to the Fallen of RuPaul's Drag Race, week three

Meet the big girl giving face:
Yes, the "Precious" of Drag Race.
Sad the dress from T.J. Maxx, 
Tucked into her Penney's slacks.
Implants? Not those awesome tits.
Queens, look out when she jump-splits!
Used: Get out of jail free card.
Exit honey, drags is hard!
 
R.I.P. Mystique Summers  Madison

Mister Ricky Marson will honor each fallen queen of RuPaul's Drag Race with a poem. (And is the first contributor, fyf.)