Drag U Tue - 80's Ladies

This is it. The final episode of RuPaul's Drag U season two. In true RuPaul style, the finales just get bigger and bigger every year. This time around, he's landed three very famous 80's women to get themselves made over and also show a more human side to them than just performers. I really hate to see this show end already, but that just means we are one step closer to Drag Race season four! So why don't we get started?

Carmen is still stuck in fish mode from the last episode.

These ladies may not be in the public eye much today, but back in the 80's, they were the hottest things around. Jane, made popular by being the guitarist from The GoGos, was given the name Chiffon Brule and the professor Morgan. Downtown Julie Brown, a former VJ for MTV, was dubbed Donatella Mewhatodo and paired with Shannel. Stacie Q, singer of the famous track "Two of Hearts", was renamed Savannah and coached by Carmen Carerra. These girls are certainly in the best of hands.

I have to start out by saying I now am madly in love with Carmen. I think she may have seen her actions in Drag Race and decided it was time for a change. Who knows? But in Drag U, she is amazing. I've always liked her style, but her personality, previously that is, just turned me off. Now she is a sweetheart. She is still, however, an airhead. When Stacey mentioned someone with a "Congenial" problem, she asked what happened to the guys genitals. Carmen showed her soft side again, comforting her student when she talked about her best friend and hair stylist who passed away 22 years ago. These tearjerker moments always get me!

The lady lesson this week was... interesting. Instead of teaching them stuff, Lady Bunny decided she wanted to become Oprah and show off some of her favorite things. Being the crazy lady she is, she showed them things like the "hot bod" shirt, much like what Detla Work wore in the comedy challenge on Drag Race. Another device was a bra that you could put booze in. I really have to wonder sometimes how sane Lady Bunny is. At least she's funny, right? Moving on.

Dance class was by Tony Bassil. I know, I know. It's time again for me to complain that my hot boys arent here. Damn, I wish that at least for the final episode they had brought them back, but oh well. Maybe Andre will be back for the next season. The dance was to RuPaul's new song "Superstar", which isn't a surprise. Ru is known for his shameless self promotion in Drag U, which is part of the campy charm this show has.

Aren't they supposed to be talking them out of bad 80's fashion?

Morgan and her girl Jane were the spotlight of the show for me. Jane is just so adorable and peppy, I can't stop watching her. She has an adorable voice, and is always in a good mood. I was really proud of how she pushed herself so hard and didn't even complain. She apparently had a hiking accident a while back and messed up her knee. Despite this, she rocked the runway and the dance. Morgan served as a very good support system, always keeping her going. The two worked very well together.

Shannel. Oh, Shannel. I really was surprised to see you in the finale. Shannel has been in this show more than anyone else (well, maybe not more than Raven), and I really can't decide if I like her or just want her to go away forever. She always looks amazing, but her personality falters at times. She can be really into herself, which as a drag queen isn't a bad thing, but in the context of the show is not how things need to be done.  She was very understanding, though, when Julie didn't want to go for the dragulator look. Instead, they decided to go for a glamorous diva look, and it really did work in favor for her.

Before I knew it, the final draguation was here. This will be the last time (at least for a year or so) that I get to see three amazing women turn it out, drag style, on the runway. First up was Jane. Her look was phenomenal. She was a total dominatrix with leather and bondage influences. I loved the wide laced fishnets and the ponytail. Julie, my favorite of the three, came out in a beautiful gown, a much different image from her dragulator "rocker chick" look. Her skirt was floor length, but partially see through, and made for an amazing dress. Finally, Stacey rocked the runway in a feathery outfit. I didn't like the dress much. It looked very busy and unfocused. Her hair, however, was amazing and even had some cute rhinestones in it.

After a fun dance segment and the judges' deliberation, we find out that Julie won. I thought it was a good note to end on for the show. She really did make the transformation from boring mom who hadn't been out in years to glamorous queen. Plus, Ru accused her of stealing his style -- in jest of course!

Bat those lashes, ladies!

The final drag tips is what I viewed as a peace offering. It featured both Jujubee and Raven, who, throughout the series, have flung so much shade at one another. Today, they worked together to make up for that by giving everyone tips on how to properly put on fake lashes. In the end, they stood together with their lashes on fluttering away. But we all know they went right back to being shady as soon as it was over with.

And that's all she -- err I -- wrote. Til next season!

Drag U Tue - Looking For A New Job

The season is winding down, and with only two episodes left, this show is heating up in crazy ways. We finally get to see two queens not on the show yet. Tyra Sanchez and Carmen Carerra finally pop in to teach these girls how to be fierce! And who is the third queen you might ask? Well, let's just say the Raven Show is back on the air -- and this time it's double trouble. Raven Symone is the guest judge. Without further ado, my take on Drag U's second to last episode!

I spent most of this episode wondering if Tyra was possessed.

This episode was all about women who can't get a job. They all lost their jobs in various ways, and now need a confidence boost to get back to where they need to be. Rachel, AKA Tasty Rain, is paired with Carmen. Betsy, or Mahjong, is left in Raven's care. Deena, dubbed Shalamar, was to be taught by the queen herself, Tyra. These girls are certainly given the best help they could get.

I really enjoyed seeing the lesser fleshed out queens. Tyra, as much as I poke fun at her, is really a very striking queen. She always is spot on with her fashion, makeup, and hair. All three of her looks in this episode were amazing and top notch. I was really surprised when she came up with a great idea of snapping her girl out of her "I'm old" mentality. She gave the girl a cane and sunglasses and made her hobble around so that she could appreciate being only thirty. Thirty isn't that old, right?

The lady lesson this week was one I don't know if I could have taken. They learned how to do home spa treatments on a budget. They mixed together household items to make facial masks. The Pepto and the yogurt I could have handled, but peanut butter? Not only am I allergic to it, but also its just gross. I can't stand feeling it on my hands, but on my face too? Man, I shudder just thinking about it. Maybe we should move on.

Carmen shocked me in this episode. In Drag Race, she was always a bit sneaky. I know it was a competition, but she always had some shade to go around, but here, we saw a whole different side of her. Gone was the Carmen from the "Jocks in Frocks" episode who threw her drag brother under the bus. Now was a caring Carmen, who shared her insecurities with her student about how she used to hate her nose. She told her that there are ways to shape her nose with makeup, but she should still be proud of who she is.  I was glad to see her as less of an air head, and more of a normal, loving individual.

I don't think that is the kind of "fish" they were talking about, Carmen.

The dance class disappointed me once again. I was hoping to see one of my sexy dance teachers, but yet again they were both absent. Trisha is a very talented dancer, and she is quite good at instructing, but I need my man candy. At least she sort of looks like Manila Luzon. That is always a plus. The dance segment was a bit uneventful -- until the end.

After a mini breakdown, Betsy had a heart to heart with her professor, Raven. Raven once again shook off her reputation as an ice queen and took the girl under her wing, encouraging her to be herself and to lover herself. But it wouldn't be a Raven episode without her tossing some shade. She purposely picked a fight with Carmen to teach her girl how to cause some drama for a quick laugh. Shade can be funny, and fun!

At draguation, the girls looked amazing. Rachel had some amazing and huge hair. I wasn't a fan of her cape that she had. I don't know what direction it was supposed to be going in. The dress could have been a little longer, but Carmen wanted to show off her thighs, so I guess the point got across. Betsy looked like a pinup girl and I loved it! She looked like she could be on any calendar back in WWII and be the obsession of all the army boys. My favorite, looks wise, was Deena. She didn't use the pink wig she teased us with, but she still served some serious Minaj. I loved the poofy bow at the back of her dress, too.

Before they could go about their final dance, Deena ran off stage. She said that her foot was cramping and it hurt too badly. The girl was being a diva before she even had the fame! The nerve! Anyway, Ru gave her a stern talking to and got her some new shoes. Soon she was back on the stage and the dancing commenced. The end result was that Betsy won, which was my top pick over all.

The horror!

The drag tips this week was once again by the ever hilarious Manila Luzon. I just can't get enough of this girl. She gave you tips on things you should bring with you for the morning after all that partying. She even included some shades so your annoying neighbors get the hint to mind their own business.

Drag U Tue - Suddenly Single

This week, Drag U brings us three ladies, who, for one reason or another, have found themselves single and without a clue in the world, but before I get into all the juicy details, I think it would be best to start the day off with a picture of one of my favorite professors -- The fabulous Manila Luzon.

Ahem. Moving on. We are presented with three single ladies. First up is Kris, left in Manila's hands. This construction worker is afraid of being viewed as weak, and says since she's attracted to masculine women (!) she should be what she is attracted to. Second, we have Annie. This girl has a tragic story to tell, and when Ongina found out her boyfriend died just a few months prior, she knew that she had to revive that diva inside of her for her own sake, as well as her lost love. Lastly, we have mother of three Marcia. She gave up everything to go to California and start anew. Shannel (uhg, I know) was set up to be her drag professor.

Before I move on, let me address my beef with Shannel. On the first season of Drag Race, she was really self absorbed and quite annoying; this trend carried over into Drag U season one. Perhaps she learned her lesson, or maybe it was the editing of the previous seasons, but this season of Drag U portrays her in a very different light. As I said in the last Drag U Tue, she is starting to change my opinion on her, and the way she helped and comforted Annie -- who wasn't even her drag student -- made me really think that I may have misjudged Shannel. Ok, miss thang, you are starting to win my heart.

The Dragulator assigned names for the girls. Annie as Gogo West, Kris as Caprice Classic, and Marcia as Loni Fellini. The Dragulator looks were pretty good this time around, but not all of the girls agreed. Most notably was Kris, who thought the Twiggy look she was given just didn't work, and when they tried out wigs, Manila agreed. The others seemed quite content with their given looks.

 

This week's lesson with Lady Bunny was how to take a good profile picture. Lighting and angles were the key, of course, and the girls took decent pictures. Honestly, they would have been better if they had been dolled up or in their drag looks, but they had to deal with what they had. Also, I just can't get over how big Lady Bunny's hair is. I mean last season she had some redic looks, but this one takes the cake. Her hair makes her at least a foot and a half taller. Some serious hair, hurr.

The dance lesson didn't go as well as the drag lesson. After blindfolding the girls to get their true dance styles when they feel nobody watching, they were taught a routine to a favorite song of mine, Call Me by Blondie. As usual, the girls just didn't seem to catch on very quickly, but all of that was in the background when I cam to the conclusion that Andre, the Dean of Dance, is undeniably cute. I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize it. 

After their one on one talks with President Ru Paul (and a few dramatic moments, including Manila claiming she is being set up with the worst contestant), the girls debut their looks on the stage. I had a hard time picking my favorite. Kris looked like a fabulous sixties gogo dancer -- and Manila even convinced her to wear pink when she refused to for the whole episode. Annie had sequins in every spot you could imagine (ok, so maybe not there) and had a wrist muff that was to die for... but Marcia failed to impress. Her dress was abysmal and made it look like she was wearing a comically huge tie. In the end, Kris won this week, and I have to say I'm satisfied. I feel like she had the biggest transformation and greatest attitude adjustment. 

The trend of the "Drag Tips" and "A Word With Ru" continue in this episode. This weeks word with our Drag U President was "Escandalo" another Ru Classic. I was a bit more confused with the Drag Tips segment, as it was less comical than last week, but at least Carmen was totally hot -- oh and she Nailed It!

'Til next week!