Most Dramatic Reunion Moments In RuPaul's Drag Race History
Hit reality competition series "RuPaul's Drag Race" is always filled with dramatic eliminations and scandals, but it's also full of dramatic moments at its annual reunion. Each season's cast of drag queens returns right before the finale (and America's Next Drag Superstar is crowned) to recount the season, discuss how their lives have changed since filming their season, and often confront one another in one final attempt to settle any drama some of the queens may have had with one another. If it sounds like the reunions get spicy, it's because they do.
Naturally, we can't talk about dramatic reunion moments without first talking about Season 1's feisty reunion. The series' very first reunion episode saw the queens confronting not only each other but also the judges. Tammie Brown was particularly upset in the finale, having told RuPaul and the other judges that she "doesn't see them walking children in nature" (via Screen Rant). Fellow contestant Shannel also got in some jabs at the judges when she accused Santino Rice of being too harsh in his critiques during the season. RuPaul ultimately explained that the queens are there for a competition series and differentiated between judges' critiques and hateful, homophobic rhetoric from non-queer persons.
These moments occurred in the later seasons
Another shows-topping reunion moment comes from Season 9, when a conversation surrounding the title of Miss Congeniality erupted. At this point in time, fans across the world voted for each season's Miss Congeniality, and Valentina took home the title in Season 9 much to some of her fellow contestants' disdain (via Bustle). Aja quickly called Valentina out for not being congenial and only winning because fans liked her, and Farrah Moan likewise called Valentina out but for being a bad friend and ignoring her (via Twitter). This reunion was a jaw-dropper through and through, and it's one we're always going to remember.
Bustle also adds that Season 11 may not have been the series' best, but its reunion did have some interesting moments, even if its reunion wasn't the series' best either. Season 11 saw the series' first workroom romance, so when the finale came around, all eyes were on the love birds, Brooke Lynn Hytes and Vanessa Vanjie Mateo. Miss Vanjie ultimately declared that the two had broken up between filming the season and the reunion, and what followed were slightly dramatic and uncomfortable explanations from both sides.
These moments made were especially uncomfortable
Like Tammie Brown in Season 1, another contestant butted heads with RuPaul, but it happened to be nine seasons later. Season 10's reunion saw contestant The Vixen upset and angry, and this turned into a confrontation with RuPaul himself. The Vixen had been vilified by some contestants and didn't make it as far as she wanted in the competition, and in the reunion, she ultimately stormed out (via The Blast). According to The Blast, RuPaul told The Vixen, ""Look at me goddammit. I come from the same goddamn place she comes from, and here I am! You see me walking out? No, I'm not walking out. I f****** learned how to act around people and deal with s***." RuPaul was not standing for negativity or confrontation in this regard, and all we know is we never want to make RuPaul mad like this.
Finally, we have Season 4's reunion, which gave us the iconic moment of Phi Phi O'Hara being called out by both the audience and fellow contestant Willam. Phi Phi had fought with Season 4's winner Sharon Needles during the entire season, and in the finale, when asked about her feelings toward Sharon, Phi Phi repeatedly said that she respected her (via The Blast). Willam and the audience quickly called her out for lying because she wouldn't have attacked someone all season like she did if she respected them. This was a dramatic, cringey moment, but it's one the audience ate up.