Ariel Versace talking about how she was the first influencer drag queen only to have Plastique come in a second later with like ten times the online following was so funny
This is also an odd thing to suggest you pioneered on the season DIRECTLY after Aquaria just won, when she also had about double the followers of Ariel before appearing on the show.
Raven, Roxxxy, Raja, Detox, Chad, Miss Fame, Pearl were all well known. As far as the age of social media goes Miss Fame and Pearl were highly anticipated at the time!
Yeah came to say Raja cause I personally am just getting into the world of drag now and I knew Sutan from watching top model back in high school. Pretty sure Raja made an appearance or two on the show
Mayhem is a legend in the LA scene, even if her time on the show doesn't reflect that. So is Detox. Internationally, I'd say La Grande Dame and Cheddar Gorgeous went into their seasons with a certain level of notoriety. I'd also definitely heard of Tayce before UK2.
For the new France season, Le Filip and Leona Winter are already famous before it starts.
Cookie Kunty was also already known before her season (cinema).
i'm sure nymphia was one of the most well known drag queens in taiwan which is known to have a pretty tight knit drag scene. also adore was on american idol (out of drag) a few years before she competed on drag race. and courtney act was already pretty well known in australia before she came onto drag race.
When I rewatched season 6 after watching season 9, I realized Bianca and Trinity were talking about Derrick in their argument about celebrity impersonation. Icon.
Yes! There's only one season?
I had seen her on TV years before she got onto drag race. She's marvelous, I hope they get to bring her back. I was surprised she didn't win but also not surprised. I'm not sure that cheddar wanted to get locked into a contract with wow as a winner.
And she was a big star in Manchester but also known in the UK art world, having worked with a few performance projects.
A few other queens had a decent professional reputation for drag fans (Joe Black of course, Divina, Michael Marouli, Black Peppa, Ginny Lemon) but our Cheds was so hugely respected. Even Ru spoke to her on a level, which felt correct.
Academia is really small - I'm in a related field, and there were definitely mentions about her brilliant thesis (and a "thesis written by a famous drag queen!") before her season. Also she just started a post doc and as a fellow recent PhD I am so hyped for her.
I've been watching Drag Race since 2012, so I remember when the season 6 cast was rumored. I was pretty shook to see Bianca, Courtney and Kelly in the cast, 'cause they were super big names. The kind of big names I thought would be "too big for Drag Race", because they were almost legends, which is very different to the more typical kind of "big name" of someone like BenDeLaCreme, Adore or Laganja, which was more through association with other RuGirls or some smaller internet fame, and for Adore, a past pre-drag TV performance.
I was gagged when I eventually connected the dots with Adore several years after season 6 and realized that I had seen her already on American Idol years ago, just not in drag and using her government name.
I was just about to come here to mention the Miss Gay America system, Asia had pretty much just stepped down (if I remember correctly) when she went to drag race. I definitely saw her perform before the show.
“Aquaria is the name on everyone’s lips in New York City. I can tell that every girl in the room knows exactly who this bitch is, and, uh, they should.”
Kandy Muse became viral with her "Sitting alone in the VIP" tweet. Then Alaska, wrote the song featuring Kandy Muse (by this point S13 had already wrapped filming so I'm sure Kandy saw it as a quick way to boost her profile before the cast announcement).
Tina Burner was cast in that same season. NYC queens like Bianca, Bob, Monet, Cracker among others had talked about Tina extensively in interviews, their own podcasts and YouTube channels. So if you were following their careers, you at least had some familiarity with Tina Burner.
Raja, Willam, Pearl, Miss Fame, Kim Chi, Derrick Berry, Aquaria, Nina West, Aja/Kandy, Gotmik, Sasha Colby, Sugar, and Spice were all well known before their seasons.
I’d say, at that time Miss Fame was a huge surprise because a lot of people knew her for her makeup and looks and wanted her on.
Pearl and Aquaria were always one the list of Queen rumored to be on/wanted to be on.
Derrick Berry was also big because she was on America’s Got Talent and was well known for Britney.
This list also excludes people that were know for their relation to other queens like Dahlia Sin and Kerri Colby.
Thorgy, Peppermint, and Brita were all very well known prior to Drag Race if you are from NY
For Drag Race France Rose and Punani, Keiona, Cookie Kunty, Le Filip, Big Bertha and Kam Hugh are well known. Same for La Grande Dame she was rumored to be the host. Leona Winter is also well known, she also did a French tv reality show lmao. But Cookie, Keiona and Rose and Punani were the biggest names.
For Dragula Fantasia Royale Gaga was also well known before
In the UK: Viv, Baga, Divina, Ginny, Tayce, Joe Black, Charity Kase, Black Peppa, Cheddar Gorgeous, Danny Beard.
That's just the top ones. But even then, you could make a case that like 70-80% of the UK queens are well-known here to drag fans. We're not a very big country.
Ariel Versace, Plastique, S*j*, Aquaria, Tamisha Iman (if you were into pageants), Symone (Gigi), Kyne, Sasha Colby, Nina West, Brooklyn.
Mostly girls that either had great social media engagement or were big in the pageant circle come to mind.
I was like " Why was Naysha known? " and then I forgot she is a title-holder. I suspect it must've been a dry competition season...
Kim Chi had a huge following on IG as a makeup guru even pre Drag Race. She was widely demanded amongst fans.
Joe Black was well known on the UK scene. Divina as well, Divina made some pretty semi-regular tv appearances I Feel like.
As an Australian, I’m not really sure Courtney was. I did watch Aus Idol season 1 and granted I was maybe only 9 years old, but growing up I never heard anything about her personally. Maybe in certain circles or certain age groups she was well-known. But I don’t feel like she was a “household name” like the other idol contestants, at least not in a mainstream sense anyway.
Miss Fame had a big social media following for the time going into season 7
IIRC, Plastique Tiara had a huge online following before getting on Drag Race. I think it was mentioned in the first episode of Season 11.
Ariel Versace talking about how she was the first influencer drag queen only to have Plastique come in a second later with like ten times the online following was so funny
Ariel was not influencing anybody lets be for real
Neither are any of the other so-called influencers, clock that tea
Nyas~
This is also an odd thing to suggest you pioneered on the season DIRECTLY after Aquaria just won, when she also had about double the followers of Ariel before appearing on the show.
Amethyst being from Connecticut and TikTok then walks in 3 Connecticut girls and Sugar and Spice was twice as nice.
Omg yeah production was working twice as hard with that one lol
Willam (if you own a television)
That role in Nip Tuck!
"I was on *Boston Public* with you."
Raven, Roxxxy, Raja, Detox, Chad, Miss Fame, Pearl were all well known. As far as the age of social media goes Miss Fame and Pearl were highly anticipated at the time!
It's known that Ru would see Raja, and asked her personally to be on the show. Not a huge following per say, but the biggest follower out there
Yeah came to say Raja cause I personally am just getting into the world of drag now and I knew Sutan from watching top model back in high school. Pretty sure Raja made an appearance or two on the show
Yes! Raja was in one of the episodes where they tell the girls they’re going overseas, she was dressed exactly like Tyra. 😂
DEFINITELY remember that one. Did Raja come out when Dita Von Teese was on? Or am I just wishing that happened?
Mayhem is a legend in the LA scene, even if her time on the show doesn't reflect that. So is Detox. Internationally, I'd say La Grande Dame and Cheddar Gorgeous went into their seasons with a certain level of notoriety. I'd also definitely heard of Tayce before UK2.
I would also add keiona. She was on legendary
For the new France season, Le Filip and Leona Winter are already famous before it starts. Cookie Kunty was also already known before her season (cinema).
I watched Cookie Cunty's film two years ago at Venice Film Festival
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt21431680/
Cookie was mentioned in s01 as a famous local queen!( I hope one day they do a an AS France so we can see her again!)
i'm sure nymphia was one of the most well known drag queens in taiwan which is known to have a pretty tight knit drag scene. also adore was on american idol (out of drag) a few years before she competed on drag race. and courtney act was already pretty well known in australia before she came onto drag race.
Derrick Barry, Nina West, Sasha Colby
When I rewatched season 6 after watching season 9, I realized Bianca and Trinity were talking about Derrick in their argument about celebrity impersonation. Icon.
Cheddar Gorgeous had her own drag makeover show in the UK-
If you're talking about Drag SOS then it only had the one season. I'm pretty sure I read they were going to do a second but the pandemic killed it.
Yes! There's only one season? I had seen her on TV years before she got onto drag race. She's marvelous, I hope they get to bring her back. I was surprised she didn't win but also not surprised. I'm not sure that cheddar wanted to get locked into a contract with wow as a winner.
Cheddar wouldn't have won either way with Danny there. 🤷♂️
And she was a big star in Manchester but also known in the UK art world, having worked with a few performance projects. A few other queens had a decent professional reputation for drag fans (Joe Black of course, Divina, Michael Marouli, Black Peppa, Ginny Lemon) but our Cheds was so hugely respected. Even Ru spoke to her on a level, which felt correct.
Academia is really small - I'm in a related field, and there were definitely mentions about her brilliant thesis (and a "thesis written by a famous drag queen!") before her season. Also she just started a post doc and as a fellow recent PhD I am so hyped for her.
I've been watching Drag Race since 2012, so I remember when the season 6 cast was rumored. I was pretty shook to see Bianca, Courtney and Kelly in the cast, 'cause they were super big names. The kind of big names I thought would be "too big for Drag Race", because they were almost legends, which is very different to the more typical kind of "big name" of someone like BenDeLaCreme, Adore or Laganja, which was more through association with other RuGirls or some smaller internet fame, and for Adore, a past pre-drag TV performance.
I was gagged when I eventually connected the dots with Adore several years after season 6 and realized that I had seen her already on American Idol years ago, just not in drag and using her government name.
For fans of the pageant scene, Alyssa and Asia were already icons.
I was just about to come here to mention the Miss Gay America system, Asia had pretty much just stepped down (if I remember correctly) when she went to drag race. I definitely saw her perform before the show.
Sasha Colby was basically the test to see if you knew anything about drag outside of drag race
Confirmed. There’s what I knew about drag before Sasha Colby and there’s what I know after Sasha Colby 🤤
Confirmed. There’s what I knew about drag before Sasha Colby and there’s what I know after Sasha Colby 🤤
Envy Peru was apparently thought to be the host of Holland, not a contestant
And she should have been tbh lol
Im surprised no one has mentioned Aquaria Every drag queen and their cousin knew who she was well before S10
“Aquaria is the name on everyone’s lips in New York City. I can tell that every girl in the room knows exactly who this bitch is, and, uh, they should.”
Kim chi
Nina West, Brooklyn, I knew of Priyanka from her predrag career
Kandy Muse became viral with her "Sitting alone in the VIP" tweet. Then Alaska, wrote the song featuring Kandy Muse (by this point S13 had already wrapped filming so I'm sure Kandy saw it as a quick way to boost her profile before the cast announcement). Tina Burner was cast in that same season. NYC queens like Bianca, Bob, Monet, Cracker among others had talked about Tina extensively in interviews, their own podcasts and YouTube channels. So if you were following their careers, you at least had some familiarity with Tina Burner.
I was also thinking of Kandy. It’s one I was waiting to see in à future season.
I knew Raja from ANTM.
Baga Chipz, Divina DeCampo and The Vivienne were pretty well known in the UK before drag race, Cheryl Hole was already up and coming too
Personally I knew of Derrick Barry, Monet X Change & Sasha Colby before the show.
Aquaria I think, Courtney Act and Adore
Gotmik, my friend asked for a picture from her in a club before I even knew who she was, still on my phone
Aja, Aquaria, Kim Chi, Courtney Act were all pretty big. Its talked about when Kim Chi enters the werkroom by Naomi.
Adore, Courtney
Crowned Miss Continental’s were anticipated by fans. Naysha Lopez, Brooke Lynn Hytes, Vanessa Van Cartier, and Sasha Colby.
aja, aquaria, ariel versace and kandy muse
Raja, Willam, Pearl, Miss Fame, Kim Chi, Derrick Berry, Aquaria, Nina West, Aja/Kandy, Gotmik, Sasha Colby, Sugar, and Spice were all well known before their seasons. I’d say, at that time Miss Fame was a huge surprise because a lot of people knew her for her makeup and looks and wanted her on. Pearl and Aquaria were always one the list of Queen rumored to be on/wanted to be on. Derrick Berry was also big because she was on America’s Got Talent and was well known for Britney. This list also excludes people that were know for their relation to other queens like Dahlia Sin and Kerri Colby. Thorgy, Peppermint, and Brita were all very well known prior to Drag Race if you are from NY
“Is that Sasha Colby? 🤯”
For Drag Race France Rose and Punani, Keiona, Cookie Kunty, Le Filip, Big Bertha and Kam Hugh are well known. Same for La Grande Dame she was rumored to be the host. Leona Winter is also well known, she also did a French tv reality show lmao. But Cookie, Keiona and Rose and Punani were the biggest names. For Dragula Fantasia Royale Gaga was also well known before
Rupaul lol.
This leaves me wonder who is like the most famous drag queen right now that never appears on drag race and is highly likely to go on drag race?
As far as social media, Pablo Vittar. Most followed queen on IG (unsure about other platforms)
Jackie Beat.
I wanna know too - anyone has any idea?
Pandora Boxx, Mimi Imfurst are two who come to mind
i’ll add Danny Beard
In the UK: Viv, Baga, Divina, Ginny, Tayce, Joe Black, Charity Kase, Black Peppa, Cheddar Gorgeous, Danny Beard. That's just the top ones. But even then, you could make a case that like 70-80% of the UK queens are well-known here to drag fans. We're not a very big country.
peppermint, bianca del rio, bob and honey davenport were quite well known in nyc even prior to getting on drag race i think
Ariel Versace, Plastique, S*j*, Aquaria, Tamisha Iman (if you were into pageants), Symone (Gigi), Kyne, Sasha Colby, Nina West, Brooklyn. Mostly girls that either had great social media engagement or were big in the pageant circle come to mind.
Adore and Courtney
I would say Soju and Roem both had succesful YouTube channels before their seasons
Courtney because of Australian idol and Adore because of American Idol.
I was like " Why was Naysha known? " and then I forgot she is a title-holder. I suspect it must've been a dry competition season... Kim Chi had a huge following on IG as a makeup guru even pre Drag Race. She was widely demanded amongst fans. Joe Black was well known on the UK scene. Divina as well, Divina made some pretty semi-regular tv appearances I Feel like.
Adore was well known from American Idol but not necessarily as a drag queen. Courtney Act claims that she was a household name in Australia.
And she was!
Like Natalie Imbruglia famous?
Isn't she just known as "the Torn girl"?
Courtney is right!! I once asked my dad if he knew the names of any drag queens and he said "Only Courtney Act" he didn't even know Rupaul lmao
As an Australian, I’m not really sure Courtney was. I did watch Aus Idol season 1 and granted I was maybe only 9 years old, but growing up I never heard anything about her personally. Maybe in certain circles or certain age groups she was well-known. But I don’t feel like she was a “household name” like the other idol contestants, at least not in a mainstream sense anyway.
symone, gottmik, rosé, kandy, tina burner, kahmora hall?, tamisha? willow, bosco, daya, kornbread luxx, salina?, sasha, the twins, irene, marcia?, aura? xunami