RPDR Season 9 Episode 4 Review "Good Morning Bitches" | Spoiler Alert
Hey guys…..Wondering why I’m so down? It’s because this is has been my least favorite episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race in years and I know that next week is the Kardashian-themed challenge. But the show must go on…so here is my review:
On this episode, the queens challenge their inner news anchor to present literal fake news for two drag-queen themed rival news stations, where they’ll report on celebrity gossip and drag queen tips, finishing their segments with interviews with Glee star and guest judge Naya Rivera . The two channels are “Good Morning Bitches,” captained by last week’s lip-sync champion Aja and “Not On Today,” captained by last week’s winner “Trinity Taylor. Seeing that there are no mini-challenges this season, the team captains are always chosen in advance by Ru or producers. Take that into account when you see who is read to filth this episode.
In the end the winners of the challenge being from Good Morning Bitches,” got the whole team saved from the bottom. While “Not On Today” did not so well…today. Putting everyone on the team in jeopardy and causing them all to be asked who they felt deserved to be in the bottom two from their team.
The theme of this week’s runway was Naughty Nighties. Being a bit of a lingerie expert, (I’ve worked for lingerie retailers for around 4 years) I was excited to see what the girls would wear. I barely got to see their outfits while watching the episode because they did one of those “Girl we ain’t got time for all of this” sped up runway edits that they do once a Drag Race year. But luckily, there are photos online…and I have them for you below. You’re welcome! Now let’s get to judging.
Aja
The Look
This week, Aja made me a very happy girl. I am so glad that she is changing her makeup look and taking advice from those around her. Now I am starting to see the beautiful and confident Aja I’ve seen dancing in Manhattan. And that blonde hair mixed with her new makeup make her face light up so wonderfully. Two weeks ago when the runway theme was White Party, Aja wore a platinum white blonde wig much lighter than this one, but her makeup was so heavy and dark that it didn’t have the same effect. I’m excited to watch her grow this season. As for the lingerie, I love the bustier and those gorgeous sparkly panties. I love red lingerie, and just maybe would have put it all together with a shoe that was a darker shade of red, so that the shoe doesn’t distract too much from the rest of the outfit. But that’s a nitpick. TOOT
Let’s Get Personal
This week, as Aja regains her confidence, we see her also apologize to Valentina for the comments she made during last week’s Untucked. She has also become one of the most popular Drag Race memes of all time. A bit fascinating in my opinion, as I don’t really see what’s so insane about her Linda Evangelista rant towards Valentina. Is this gonna be the new “Cash me outside?” I feel old. I don’t understand what the kids find funny these days.
Alexis Michelle
The Look
I personally love the hair and I love the robe. Not sure how I like the robe with the actual lingerie though. Sure it does pull from the nude color in the print, but the problem with pulling from the lightest color in a print is it can widen you and fade out or blend in with the patches of the same color in the print. I thought this looked a little washed out to me. And I don’t love the combination of the panties with the bustier. I feel that if you’re going to wear a bustier that hits the waist but is not long enough to be a torsolette, that the panties either need to be highwaisted enough to reach the bottom of the bustier and create a nice transition from one to the other, or you have to give me more waist exposed. But I don’t like a front peekaboo of tummy between the two pieces. It’s always been a pet peeve of mine. She looks lovely and s put together like always, but I’m going to have to give my beloved Alexis a BOOT
Charlie Hides
The Challenge
This one is going to be frustrating to talk about. This week, Charlie fell into the bottom two after a lackluster newscaster performance. Personally, I think this gig was rigga morris. (Yes I know English…that – for those of you who don’t know – is an All Stars 2 inside joke) This was rigged! It’s hard to say what of their news shows was scripted and what was written by them. And when she took the initiative to wrap up the Naya Rivera interview segment when everyone else forgot, I thought she should have been given some credit instead of playing it out to make it look like she made things more awkward. And on a real live television broadcast, if someone wrapped things up but just forgot to say goodbye, they wouldn’t continue to be filmed even after time has run out just so that they can say goodbye. I thought this was harped on to make her look bad and put her in the bottom two.
The Look
I liked this look. A bit generic, but still beautiful. One thing is clear: Charlie knows how to put together and ensemble and knows how to look just as young and fresh as the people half her age standing next to her. Of any of the older queens to be on this show, she has shown the most versatility and elegance. I just wish she had put on different shoes during Untucked so that she wouldn’t have been so immobile in her 7 inch fluffy pumps. This is very much so a standard lingerie set and robe, but the photo above doesn’t do it justice. Charlie looked stunning, as per usual and I give this a TOOT
Let’s Get Personal
While Charlie did not slay anyone in her challenge or lipsync, she cemented herself in our hearts and Season 9 memories with personal stories of losing her close friends during the height of the AIDS crisis, and the survivor’s guilt that came along with that sadness. So glad this show exists (and again, is on a network like VH1) to spread a message of safe sex, communication of your status and awareness in general.
The Lipsync
Here comes the most difficult thing to talk about: Charlie’s lipsync against Trinity. I believe that they’re saving Peppermint for a future reason and that that’s why they decided to throw Charlie under the bus this episode. I think that the challenge was rigged to make her look bad and I know for a fact Peppermint did worse than her in the challenege AND on the runway. And maybe that’s why Charlie looked so frustrated and like she wanted to go home… Or maybe she was inspired by the name of the lip-sync song.
But either way, with Charlie being the person I was most excited to see this season, (especially for Snatch Game,) I was very disappointed in the way that she left the competition. By not even trying during her lipsync. She may not be the first queen to stand in one place during a performance, but she was the first queen to ever not move a single inch. She barely even moved her lips to the music and almost mockingly, did little lackluster gestures with her hands. There were rumors as to why she did what she did. Some say it was the heels, to which I say: Nope. She could have just taken them off in that case or put other ones on during Untucked. There were also rumors that she had a broken rib during this week and that she had already strained herself enough during the cheer challenge. That could be true. But I think it was due to the fact that she was mentally checked out at that point.
Charlie has always been self-concious about her age in this competition, stating that Drag Race is known for always kicking out their oldest contestants early on. Which is true and untrue at the same time. Sure Porkchop, Tempest DuJour and Mrs. Kasha Davis never quite made it as far as they would have liked, but there were also queens who were some of the oldest in their seasons who took home the crown. Like Raja or Bianca Del Rio. But most people forget that Raja and Bianca are a bit older, because they never acted like they were older than anyone around them. Maybe they acted like they were more mature, but never long in the tooth. Charlie should have done what those two did, and used her experience and expertise to take her further instead of using it as an excuse as to why they don’t like her. But like I said again, I think this episode and even the one where Charlie was in the bottom three for the cheerleading challenge were just staged to send her home early. I personally don’t think it had to do with age, I think it had to do with wanting her fanbase to freak out due to her early departure. I don’t think there’s anything Charlie could have done to keep herself in the competition longer with things looking as rigged as they looked. But the least she could have done was give it a good try. It disappointed me so much… But not as much as the knowledge that I won’t see Charlie do Joan Rivers in the Snatch Game. Ugh, let’s move on. I’m starting to cry all over my Macbook.
Cynthia Lee Fontaine
The Look
Yes, Cynthia. Pray. Pray for more interesting outfits. Honestly, I love me some Cuculicious and I think she’s the sweetest person on television…but I couldn’t support any of her fashion choices last season, and I can’t support any of them this season either. The lingerie set doesn’t go with the wings and boots, the hair makes her look more like George Washington than an angel, and I as a lingerie queen am not a fan of Victoria’s Secret in general. So I am going to have to give this look a white thigh-high platform BOOT
Let’s Get Personal
Now that I think about it, maybe Cynthia is trying to tell us something with her runway look this week. She may be an actual angel. We’ve learned before that Cynthia is working to promote and support cancer research, and this week she reveals she is also an active advocate for AIDS/HIV awareness. What doesn’t this girl do to save the world?!
Eureka O’Hara
The Look
This is the first time that Eureka has worn a throw-away garment. She has always been such a well-dressed queen with a knack for fit and silhouettes. But this week, she looks almost like she threw this unflattering look together last minute. The cut of the panty makes her look stocky and so do the sleeves of the garment. The boots and corset scream pornstar or streetwalker more than they do lingerie. And also she attempted a very weak wig reveal. Going from Winona Judd to the hair she wears every week.
I don’t know why these queens keep doing this! First Laganja and now this with the weak wig reveals. Roxxxy Andrews doing it was ridiculously memorable for two reasons: 1. It had never been done before. And 2. She pulled a wig off to reveal an even longer wig underneath, which clearly took a lot of effort, planning and finesse. Whereas Laganja’s reveal in her last ever lipsync and this hair change of Eureka’s were after we’d already seen the stunt played out and with better execution. So at this point, they just fall flat. I hope Eureka can step up her game in the next runway. If not, I may just tear off my own hair. BOOT
The Challenge
This is the first episode where we see the rivalry between Eureka and Trinity truly played up. Eureka ends up in Trinity’s team and challenges her from start to end. Even throwing her under the bus for a lack of leadership during the challenge and assisting in getting her into the bottom two. I get that Eureka is just playing a game and being a typical competitive pageant queen. But I hope that she doesn’t base her whole storyline on being angry and bitter towards Trinity, or she will get the same wake up call Aja received. If Eureka doesn’t stay in her own lane and just continue to prove herself instead of trying to sabotage Trinity, I can see her going down in Drag Race herstory as “that one bitter big girl who couldn’t let the past go.” And that’s not what we want or need from the one plus sized queen in the competition. Focus on you, Eureka. Because I know you can do well. I mean, look how well you did in this challenge!
Farrah Moan
The Look
Farrah makes me want to look like her. This is a successful look. Is it safe? Yes. Lately most of her looks have been very safe. But with how many messy looks there are each week, it’s good to see someone be consistently polished and beautiful. TOOT
Nina Bo’Nina Brown
The Look
I love how in this episode, Nina quickly goes from Sammy Davis Jr to Naomi Campbell. I love how sexy and beautiful Nina looked. Her padding is so fabulously gorgeous and I love her hair this episode. Unfortunately, I was less than impressed with her corset, her stockings, her shoes and the fact that she was randomly a skeleton. Does everything have to be a costume with Nina? Michelle needs to have the Bendela talk with her in my opinion. While I think Nina is sexy and breathtaking, I am not impressed with this streetwalker type look for a lingerie runway. Sorry girl. BOOT
Peppermint
The Look
Did Peppermint not get the memo when it came to this week’s runway challenge? Her top, her skirt, her shoes and even her accessories made her look like she was on her way to a night club instead of a night in. Maybe she could have saved this look a future runway where the theme is “Look like you’re going to Ruby Skye in what you wore the night before.” Peppermint as a queen I truly think is relying on pretty this season. She knows her face is always beautiful and she has feminine mannerisms, but she rarely brings any good looks to the table. And did anyone catch the thong that she placed over her skintone tights? This is why Drag Queens in tights should not be wearing g-string thongs. It just kind of floats above the fabric without doing what thongs are supposed to do: disappear between the cheeks. It was just an odd choice for a challenge like this and I couldn’t find anything redeemable about it. BOOT
The Challenge
I’m surprised that Peppermint did not lipsync for her life this week. She had just as many votes to go home as the other girls, butchered her lines much worse than anyone on there and had the absolute worst runway look of the evening, where Trinity and Charlie had some of the best in my opinion. One could argue she may have been saved for placing high last week, but remember: Trinity won won that challenge! I don’t know what the judges are saving Peppermint for. But I guess we will have to just wait and see. Maybe this will give her a good swift kick to bring her A game next week.
Sasha Velour
The Look
The internet was so right when they said this look was a mix of Max’s Marie Antoinette look from the green runway and Pearl’s jet-set eleganza look. This look was so reminiscent of things that came before it, that it didn’t quite do it for me. I did like the concept though and liked that she did different makeup this week while still maintaining her sense of style. It was like a woman centuries ago in France waking up to get a midnight snack, and wandering her castle with her candelabra to find a jar of cookies…in pasties and a pair of heels. It made me smile. TOOT
The Challenge
Sasha has been another person I have been watching closely this season. She’s a girl after my own style heart, sort of like Max. And it’s good to see her succeed in a challenge that showed off her acting abilities and personality. When someone is artistic, they are often read as cold or distant. Again, sort of like Max when you think about it. But Sasha took this week’s challenge as a test of herself to warm everyone up to her and show some dimension to not only her style, but her demeanor. I thought this was a well deserved win.
Let’s Get Personal
While getting ready in the workroom, Eureka jokes around that she has an eating problem. Sasha quickly makes it known that she doesn’t appreciate comments like that, as she has struggled with eating disorders in the past and finds problems with food to be no joking matter. While I am glad Sasha let that be known and was standing up for those who don’t jive with these kinds of jokes, I also wonder if Eureka was maybe not joking that she has a problem with food and that maybe she was trying to make light of her own situation with food. Binge eating is another serious problem and can truly affect people’s health and mental state. Who knows? As I’ve said before, I don’t know everything that goes on with these people and these conversations. If I knew everything, I wouldn’t be here writing this. I’d be out spending money from a lottery win. But I’m just saying…
Shea Coulee
The Look
I love the boa…but that’s about all I like. Shea Coulee hasn’t been quite giving me the level of fashion I was expecting from her this season. She has one of my favorite promo looks of all time and I’d like to see her come out on the runway looking as breathtaking as she did in that full orange garment I first saw her in. She definitely looks good and her body looks right. I just don’t think the lingerie was exciting and feel that the shoe and the hair are a bit understated for me. At least she’s being consistent in her muppet-slaying wardrobe. Flow it, show it. Long as God can grow it, Shea Coulee’s hairy garments. BOOT
The Challenge
I will give Shea total props for this week’s challenge. She was hilarious and likable and really showed off that fun-loving personality I’ve seen in her during Untucked. Sometimes I don’t agree with the winners of these group challenges, as they can edit so much of their acting and delivery. But you could tell Shea was strong in this challenge no matter how it would have been edited. This was a performance to remember.
Trinity Taylor
The Look
It sort of looks like she’s wearing Charlie Hides’ princess gown from last episode…Oh my god, what if it means she’s wearing the fur of an animal she has slain? Oh Jesus I think I’ve made the grand discovery no one else realized. While I don’t like the gold trash bag draped around her, I love this lingerie set. It is something I would wear and probably already own and need to dig up this weekend. TOOT
The Challenge
Did I mention this gig was rigga morris? This week, Trinity fell into the bottom two after allegedly failing her team in dictating which roles they would receive and according to Eureka (her arch nemesis, so take this with a grain of salt,) not being supportive of them as a leader.
I am not a drag queen on this show. I am just a drag enthusiast in a Castro bar with a gin and tonic in hand, watching things unravel nine months after things have been filmed and edited. So I cannot know for sure what the case was with her leadership. But I do know that in the past, team leaders have dictated the roles their team members would play and haven’t seen this much of a stink over it before. After all, isn’t it the responsibility of the individuals to take on any challenging role and make even the smallest of parts the most memorable? Remember when Darienne Lake played a head in a box and won the Drag Race Me to Hell challenge three seasons ago?! But Drag Race loves its “fall from grace” storylines, so I guess Trinity is the one they’ve chosen to suffer for that this season.
At least she followed it up with a great runway look and a great lipsync performance. It cements how much she truly belongs in this competition. Still rooting for you, girl. You’re still my pick for the winner.
Valentina
The Look
What can I say? This was by far the hottest look tonight, and it truly followed the runway theme. This looks like a sexy rich woman who probably dyes her hair to match her lingerie every week and descends down a spiral staircase to greet her man after a long day of serving executive realness dressed like this. It is beautiful and every lingerie-fanatic’s dream. The fit is right, the hair was a great choice and brought out the red in the lingerie piece against all of the black, the garter belt was stunning, the stockings were cute but didn’t take away from the look. She made me want to be her. Every week, Valentina is the one I look most forward to seeing on the runway, and I think a lot of people can agree with me. TOOT
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you all enjoyed this review and what I had to say about this episode! And check out what Raven and Raja have to say on the latest episode of “Fashion Photo RuView.” Do they agree with me or not?
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