I think I may have given the label of “most important TV show” to the wrong show. Don’t get me wrong; “America’s Next Top Model” is still a fantastic show. In fact, it’s probably the best show available if you don’t have cable. But if you do have cable, and you haven’t been watching “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” then you have been wasting your life.
RuPaul is the combination of Tim Gunn and Tyra Banks that the world has been waiting for. Instead of “Make it work,” RuPaul says emphatically, “Don’t f*** it up.” Instead of a long, drawn-out speech about the qualities each girl has that the other girl lacks, RuPaul has the contestants “lip synch for their lives.” Oh yes, every episode ends with a lip-synching competition, and it is just as wonderful as it sounds.
But first, the basics. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is in its second season, and is down to the final four contestants. Each participant is competing to become America’s Next Drag Superstar, and apart from the illustrious title, they also win a contract with Nyx Cosmetics, a cash prize and a photo shoot. I almost think I would rather have that title than the title of America’s Next Top Model. I can’t decide which has more prestige.
While the show airs Monday nights, I don’t believe Lawrence carries the Logo network, so the best option is to watch it online on Tuesday. For that matter, probably Tuesday morning, since it is best to get your RuPaul fix early in the day. The other benefit of watching the show online is the commercial breaks, which feature drag contestants from the first season. If you’ve ever wanted to hear a Puerto Rican drag queen talk about her decision to get a tattoo, then you are in luck and should hop right over to Logotv.com.
Challenges for the drag queens include creating drag couture from Goodwill clothing, designing a drag Barbie or helping an aging gay man find his inner drag queen. Alongside all of these challenges is hilarious tongue-in-cheek commentary on the state of reality TV today, as well as general, unmitigated hilarity from RuPaul and the contestants.
Santino Rice joins RuPaul on the judge’s panel, and is probably best remembered as the contestant on “Project Runway” with the best Tim Gunn impersonation. Merle Ginsberg, of entertainment journalism fame, is also a judge on the show. Both are willing participants in RuPaul’s shenanigans and are more than happy to play the straight people to RuPaul’s banter. As if that wasn’t enough, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” attracts such big name celebrity guest judges as Cloris Leachman, Debbie Reynolds and Kathy Griffin.
So really, if you are not indulging in this show, then you are missing out on the best 45 minutes of reality television ever, and you should probably rearrange your schedule to watch this glorious TV event. And that’s the best advice I can offer you for spring term.
TV is the answer
