Warning: This article contains spoilers for the series 11 reunion episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
In the last couple of years, RuPaul’s Drag Race reunion specials have led to infamous moments including Phi Phi O’Hara’s no-show, The Vixen’s walk-out last year and Farrah Moan’s iconic “you don’t love me” to fellow queen Valentina.
And given how much shade has been thrown over the course of series 11, you’d be right in thinking that the latest reunion special is as jam-packed with drama as ever.
With all of the queens back in the same room for the first time since the season began, these are the most gag-worthy moments from the episode…
1. Brooke Lynn and Miss Vanjie reveal all about their romance
Their blossoming relationship was one of the big talking points of season 11, but it did seem to come from nowhere, so we were glad Brooke Lynn was able to shed a bit of light on how things came to be.
Naturally, she let slip that it was Silky’s big mouth that led to them getting together, but because of the show’s vigorous filming schedule, she admitted it was more of a “schoolboy romance” than anything else.
Brooke and Vanjie also confirmed they’re no longer together, with the former explaining they “dated for about four months after the show”, but ultimately called things off due to their conflicting schedules, and her feelings of being “stifled” by the relationship.
2. Ra’jah O’Hara is confronted over her comments about her fellow queens
Even RuPaul pointed out that Ra’jah is destined to go down in herstory as one of the saltiest queens to ever appear on Drag Race, with her comments about finalist Yvie Oddly (you know, who she called “ugly” and only gag-worthy when it came to her smell) coming up during the course of the episode.
When Ra’jah attempted to say her comments were only “light reads”, Yvie – true to form – voiced her own opinion to the contrary.
“I disagree with you,” Yvie explained. “It was so painful to have to go back home, and watch you call me ugly, watch you call me smelly, watch you call me worthless, essentially, because I told you you need to focus. I don’t think that was the right response.”
Ra’jah then did the literal worst kind of apology (“I apologise that you feel some type of way”), before both Yvie and Scarlet Envy pointed out that’s not what saying sorry is actually about.
Eventually, Ra’jah gave a more sincere apology, admitting she’d found watching herself on Drag Race to be an “eye-opening” experience.
“I feel like the competition wore me all the way out,” she revealed.
3. Plastique clears the air with Ra’jah and A’Keria
But Yvie wasn’t the only queen who had beef with Ra’jah during series 11, with the latter also coming for Plastique Tiara during one memorable episode of Untucked.
As you may recall, Ra’jah took issue with the fact that Plastique was paid a visit by her drag mother Alyssa Edwards, received a video message from her boyfriend and had a special moment with RuPaul, all in the space of one episode.
“Hurt people hurt people,” Ra’jah told Plastique during the reunion, before apologising for her behaviour, insisting she was simply upset and “needed to speak to somebody” about the way she was feeling.
The aforementioned drama also involved finalist A’Keria C Davenport, who was quick to insist she “didn’t instigate that situation” or “went to Ra’jah saying ‘Plastique’s boyfriend said XYZ’”... despite strong video evidence to the contrary.
4. Silky and Yvie have it out one last time
The most explosive feud of the series was unquestionably the conflict between Silky Nutmeg Ganache and Yvie Oddly, both of whom are in the running for the crown.
Whether it’s because they’re trying to be as regal as possible in the lead-up to the grand finale, or because they’re truly willing to let the past be the past, they were both surprisingly restrained when sharing their side of the story during the reunion.
That doesn’t mean they didn’t get the chance to say their piece, though.
While Yvie claimed she was upset that Silky was “always resistant to critiques”, Silky revelaed there was perhaps more going on with her look than anyone realised.
“I didn’t need at the time, my business spread out to everybody,” Silky said. “I love all you now, but I don’t trust you hoes. And that’s the reality to it. I don’t know what your intentions are, we’re here for the same thing.
“I was having body issues, people may not realise it, but I gained 30 pounds [during] filming, and that’s why I had so many [padding issues], I couldn’t go out and get new foam [for padding].”
Surprisingly, Nina West then spoke up, to point out that the queens were provided with foam, which she used when she was called out for her own padding during the series.
Silky was also given the opportunity to clear the air with Yvie after telling RuPaul she thought her competitor should be sent home due to an injury, which was the result of a pre-existing medical condition.
She said: “I didn’t know you had the disease at that time, so I just said that, honestly, just talking shit. And I never thought that you would have got upset about it, but later I realised why you got upset about it. So I want to apologise to you.”
5. Nina West has an emotional moment, continues to steal our hearts
No queen brought us more joy than Nina West during series 11, so we were happy when she received acknowledgement from not just pop star Rihanna, but US politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez after her exit.
A gleeful Nina told RuPaul: “As an activist and someone who is politically engaged, that was the greatest thing that could have come from this. The idea that someone like her, a year ago was serving tables at a restaurant, and she never gave up on her dream, and the fact that she even noticed me and celebrated me and celebrates me is tremendous.”
“To have the impact I’ve had on people who have already seen the world and done tremendous things and had impact on me and the lives of millions of other people, is humbling and amazing,” she added. “And it wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you [RuPaul] or the show, and the bravery that you lead with allows all of us to have a voice and have strength in ourselves to continue this legacy. I hope you know how much it means for all of us.”
Surely Miss Congeniality is hers for the snatching next week?
6. Two queens settle a score we didn’t even know existed
Perhaps the most surprising part of the series 11 reunion came when RuPaul brought up a moment after the series, in which Brooke Lynn Hytes claimed during a viewing party that she and several of her fellow queens “hated” fellow contestant Scarlet Envy.
“I personally did not enjoy Scarlet on the show,” Brooke Lynn said bluntly. “You just rubbed me the wrong way… You came across as very cocky and very arrogant. It was cocky, it wasn’t confident.
“You were constantly trying to one-up [people], I don’t know if it’s a game you were playing or whatever, but it just ruffled my feathers. And when I said that, in all truth, I wasn’t sad to see you go, because on the show I didn’t care for you too much.”
Ouchie.
Brooke Lynn did at least then clarify that she shouldn’t have used the word “hate”, admitting it was “the first word that came to mind because I didn’t like you”.
Still, we’re glad Scarlet got her moment to confront Brooke Lynn over something that clearly upset her, particularly after sticking up for Yvie and other queens earlier in the episode.
7. The Ariel Versace wig debacle continues
Listen, at this stage, there was so much squabbling going on it’s still not clear who left which wig to whom and which nig was nicked by whoever, but we were very much here for Ra’jah chucking a wig across the room.
“My Jessica Fletcher moment is ruined,” RuPaul said, referring to her favourite TV series Murder She Sat Down And Wrote, “And I’m more confused about the wigs than ever before.”
The finale of this year’s RuPaul’s Drag Race will be streaming on Netflix from May 31.